Young Power defender Paul Stewart says his new two-year deal with the club won't guarantee him a game against the Western Bulldogs in Darwin this weekend.

Stewart, who's played six games this year but has missed the past two weeks with a neck injury, has returned to the training track at the ideal time. The club has conceded it won't make the finals and is looking to give its emerging players more time in the senior side.

But the 20-year-old said Port's new focus didn't mean players would be gifted a spot.

"Port has got a few selections to make and if I can get back into there it would be great but I'd have no worries if I go back to the SANFL," he said.

"As always with the Port guernsey you've really got to earn your spot. He (coach Mark Williams) is not just going to throw a young player in that's not performing. He's going to play the players that have earned their spot and are really playing well in the SANFL."

However Stewart did think the inclusion of new players would provide some healthy competition for a Power side that is languishing in 12th position with a 4-9 record.

"The young guys always have meetings about each other and how we have to lift the group and if we lift we put pressure on the older guys," he said.

"Ever since I got here it was just about winning when you put on the Port guernsey so nothing is going to change, we're still going to play team football."

Stewart's new deal, which was announced on Tuesday, will see him stay at Alberton until at least 2010.

The Woodville-West Torrens player said he wasn't always confident of staying on the Power's list.

"Last year probably not because I hadn't really played much but this year I was just trying to play consistent football and do what I can to get a spot at the club," he said.

Port Adelaide general manager Peter Rohde said the club was hoping to get their young player back into the side 'pretty quickly so he can finish the year off well'.

"He's very courageous, he reads the game well and he's got the ability to play both tall and small – he's a very flexible player who can play a number of positions," Rohde said.

"We drafted him as a 19-year-old and we found him from outside of the normal Under 18 program. We're always looking at the SANFL to give guys like him an opportunity."

"It's a credit to him that he's gone from playing local footy a bit over three years ago, then to the SANFL for a year and now onto our list."