Former Power star Daniel Motlop ready to add brilliance to Flinders Park’s forward line this season
A former Power star hopes to bring some of his flair and brilliance to his new Adelaide Footy League club’s forward line.
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A former Port Adelaide star is ready to set alight the Adelaide Footy League’s division three with Flinders Park and, hopefully, help the Reds to their first A-grade flag in almost a decade.
Ex-Power and North Melbourne forward Daniel Motlop joins Flinders Park following two campaigns with division five club Kenilworth.
The Reds start their season with a clash against Gaza away on Saturday at 2.15pm.
Motlop, 38, still proved a force in attack for the Kookaburras, finishing 2019 with 24 goals from 12 games. That came off the back of 22 majors in eight matches in 2018.
He said kicking bags would not be his sole focus with the Reds, but didn’t rule out bringing a bit of dash and flair to the forward line.
“I’m not out here to kick 10-20 goals or anything like that,” Motlop said.
“I just want to have a kick and have a bit of fun.
“If the game is on the line, there’s always got to be that sort of brilliance to get the team over the line and you’ve got to stamp your authority on the game.”
He said the adrenaline of a game still got him “up and going”.
“I love winning as well, I am still pretty competitive, so who knows what will happen,” he said.
“But Flinders Park is a nice family club and my kids are going to end up playing down here because it’s near home and I was looking for a local club to spend the rest of my playing days.”
After three months of no community football due to the COVID-19 shutdown, the Adelaide Footy League 2020 season finally kicks off on Saturday.
Flinders Park ended 2019 in third place after losing the preliminary final to Old Ignatians.
But Motlop, who played 130 AFL games for Port and North Melbourne before retiring in 2011, believed the side was looking better than last season.
He was looking forward to adding some experience to the team.
“Our coach, Luke Ivens, has put together a good game plan, so it’ll be great to put that into practise,” he said.
“I’m hoping to enforce the game plan and give that instructional talk, help some of the younger boys as well.
“Everyone is really excited – our trial game felt like a final – it’s going to be good to get the boys out there and play our first game.”
In between playing footy and his business commitments with Something Wild Australia, Motlop still plans to find time to watch his brother, Steven, feature with Port Adelaide this AFL season.