Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley has rubbished reports midfielder Brendon Ah Chee is seeking a return to Western Australia.

The 23-year-old is among a group of Port players falling off-contract at season’s end.

But Hinkley has laughed off a report in The West Australian that Ah Chee is demanding a return to Perth.

“Arch knows we exactly where he’s at and what he needs to do to be a part of the AFL side,” Hinkley told reporters on Friday.

“Look, he has got a great future. And hopefully for us that is still with our football club.”

Ah Chee has played four of his 26 AFL games this season but Hinkley noted it was entering silly season for trade rumours.

“We understand managers have jobs to do,” Hinkley said.

“And (it’s) that time of the year when there is something to talk about they throw things out there.”

Port have a batch of 17 players falling out of contract. The club was waiting for the AFL’s collective bargaining agreement to be settled, which happened on Tuesday.