Port Adelaide zero in on father-son gun Jackson Mead
HIs dad Darren was Port Adelaide’s first AFL best and fairest winner, so it’s no surprise that father-son prospect Jackson Mead is devout Power supporter.
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When it came to picking a footy team, the stakes were pretty high for Jackson Mead.
“I’ve been a Port Adelaide supporter since day one. I think if I wasn’t, I’d be disowned,” he joked.
But there is good reason why the young South Australian shunned the Crows for the Power.
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His dad, Darren Mead, was one of the originals to don the teal, playing 122 games across six seasons.
He was also the club’s inaugural best and fairest winner in 1997.
Now 22 years later, Jackson has the chance to be the Power’s second ever father-son selection.
“It has always been in the back of my mind,” Mead told the Herald Sun.
“I’m in a special position. That is their (Port Adelaide’s) option if they want to pick me up. I’m still eligible if another club wants to draft me. I have just tried to play my footy and just go about my business.”
Mead has already had an introduction to life at the top level, after spending a week with the Power during the 2019 pre-season.
It was a sharp introduction to the world of professional footy, with the teenager undergoing gruelling running and fitness sessions in the blistering summer heat.
He also regularly catches up with former Power player and now development coach Paul Stewart to break down his film.
But no matter how much time he has spent in the inner sanctum, his dad is still his main footy sounding board.
“To be able to go to him before games and after games for feedback or things you need to work on, some people would have to wait to go to their coaches or older players at their club,” Mead said.
“I can be at home and have that conversation anytime. That is unreal and you can’t thank those people enough.”
Port Adelaide isn’t the only club looking at Mead, with multiple rivals speaking to him at the AFL draft combine last month.
It is easy to see why they’re sniffing around, with the teenager establishing himself as one of the standout midfield/forward options in the draft.
Throughout the national championships, Champion Data rated Mead elite for contested possessions and goals. He also averaged 106 ranking points.
Originally published as Port Adelaide zero in on father-son gun Jackson Mead