Port Adelaide’s Chad Wingard must make changes if he is to fulfil his huge potential

POWER forward Chad Wingard has faced mounting criticism for his recent dip in form and if he is to reclaim his place as one of the competition’s biggest talents, he must make some big changes.

THE greatest are great because they’re willing to pay the price.

Training when no-one else is, eating what’s best for their body, not what tastes great and choosing recovery and preparation over the good times.

Names like Michael Jordan, Ian Thorpe, Serena Williams, Tom Brady and LeBron James – athletes who have shaped the sporting world and delivered on the biggest stage time after time.

But for every G.O.A.T. (greatest of all time) there have been thousands of others who could’ve, should’ve or would’ve – but never did.

It’s been five years since Wingard burst on to the scene in 2013, winning Port’s best and fairest and claiming All-Australian honours for the first time aged just 20.

A season later he took mark of the year and once again kicked over 40 goals as Port fell narrowly short of a grand final appearance. And in 2015, after booting 53 goals, he claimed his second All-Australian gong.

Jared Polec, Chad Wingard and Sam Powell-Pepper celebrate a goal in the Showdown victory. Picture: AAP Image/David Mariuz

There’s never been any doubt he can seriously play, but with his 25th birthday not far away the penny needs to drop for him to fulfil his talent.

Right now, he’s a football enigma.

For the record I love watching Wingard play, that’s why I’m so frustrated seeing him play at the moment. At his best he’s desperate, manic and with a win-at-all-costs attitude.

Sadly, at the moment he’s bereft of confidence, not working hard enough and appears disinterested.

Professional sport is harsh, it weeds out the best from the rest and it’s an unforgiving world.

Like it or not, right now Port star Chad Wingard is under football’s blowtorch, his form and influence on games is down and he looks disinterested.

And while coaches often protect their players by saying “he’s playing an important role for us” the reality is a man of Wingard’s talent and pay packet needs to do more.

Now is a line in the sand moment, does he want to be great? To do so he must change.

He clearly needs to get fitter. He won’t achieve his best by relying on natural talent. The only way to do this is through extra fitness sessions and busting his gut during training and in games. He also needs to zero in on his diet and recovery – his body must become his business.

For a player who has had it come so naturally the real challenge will be spent learning from others: watching vision of players who play similar positions as well as upcoming opponents to gain an edge. And if Wingard needs a living example – he needn’t look any further than superstar teammate Robbie Gray.

Gray was never the finished article early in his career, far from it to be exact. It was only after a knee reconstruction in 2012 forced a change in attitude.

Gray revealed: “Having time off, I learnt a fair bit about myself. I changed a few things, the way I went about footy, I certainly prepare better now than I used to ... more diligent with my work during the week, in the gym, out on the track and little things like diet.”

Port Adelaide’s Chad Wingard at training. Picture: AAP Image/David Mariuz

It’s no coincidence from that moment he orbited to superstardom.

For years I’ve heard Wingard isn’t what you call a football “one-percenter”. He relies on natural talent and isn’t a track horse. And while he regularly plays the card of not loving the game, I don’t buy it one bit.

You don’t do what he does on the football field at his best if you don’t really care.

Right now, Wingard is a real chance of being dropped if his performances and attitude doesn’t improve. Ken Hinkley didn’t hesitate to send new recruit Tom Rockliff to the SANFL when he was struggling and its paid dividends.

If nothing changes by season’s end the rumours and innuendo will only get louder around Wingard’s future at Port and questions if they’d be willing to trade him for a first-round pick in this year’s super draft? Discussions once thought out of this world 18 months ago, could quickly become a reality.

It’s time he recalibrates and if he’s honest with himself he needs to make changes and commit to football one hundred per cent.

Wingard is a huge fan of LeBron James. I recently read an article in the business insider about King James and what he does to remain the best.

At 33 years old, in his 15th season, he played in all 82 regular-season games with his fellow workers in awe of how he takes care of himself.

It’s estimated that James spends $1.96 million a year on his body through a combination of a navy seal bio mechanist, recovery coach, team physicians, coaches, trainers and masseurs.

If its good enough for LeBron its good enough for anyone else.

As a huge fan of Wingard I would hate to see him not rediscover his superstar form and take the competition by storm.

But to do so change is needed. He won’t regret it.