Port Adelaide wingman Karl Amon goes from asking for a trade to career-best form, ‘elite’ Champion Data ranking in a year
What a difference a season makes. Last year Karl Amon endured a frustrating 2018 campaign and asked for a trade. Now he’s one of just two Power players ranked “elite” by Champion Data.
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Karl Amon calls 2018 his football “year from hell”.
It began by being overlooked for round one and struggling to have an influence when he came into the team, continued when he got concussed from a controversial Nic Naitanui tackle, then spent eight matches in the SANFL before finally having his campaign cut short by a knee injury in round 18, to ultimately finish with just six AFL games for the season.
The frustration and a lack of opportunities led to Amon seeking a trade back home to Victoria in October with a year to run on his contract.
“Last year was pretty much a year from hell from my perspective,” Amon tells The Advertiser.
“Nothing really went right.
“(Port coach) Ken (Hinkley) and I had a pretty honest conversation towards the end of the year and with me still having a year on my contract this year, we sort of explored the option to see if there was anything out there.
“I had a disappointing year, I was in and out and wasn’t playing the footy I wanted to be.
“We had a look but the fact was nothing eventuated out of that and everything happens for a reason.”
Staying at Port was not awkward for Amon – in fact, it helped him clear his mind.
His pursuit of a regular spot in the Power 22 became even clearer when fellow wingman Jared Polec left the club to join North Melbourne.
Determined to take his opportunity and stop playing too safe, Amon has become a key member of Port’s AFL line-up and, after 10 games, is having statistically his best season.
He is averaging career-highs in contested possessions (7), clearances (3), assists (1.3), score involvements (4.6) and tackles (3.4).
In further proof of his improvement, Champion Data ranks him as one of only four “elite” wingmen in the competition based on 2019 performances, along with Hawthorn’s Ricky Henderson, Brisbane’s Hugh McCluggage and Geelong’s Mitch Duncan.
The only other Power player Champion Data considers to be in the top 10 per cent for their position right now is Dougal Howard (key defender).
“Towards the later parts of last year and all the off-season drama that went on, coming back sort of opened my mind up,” Amon says.
“For me, it just cleared my mind and I had a strong pre-season.
“Working with Polly (Polec) the last couple of years, there was a spot there to take, and it was one that I saw and was working towards the whole pre-season, and it was certainly spoken about.
“It was just about being brave and backing my ability more.
“In the past few years, I was probably just playing too safe.
“You’re sort of around that 20, 30, 40-game mark and I thought it was time to start being myself, bring my traits to the table and take the game on.
“The (coaches) are pretty happy with how I’m going, for me it’s just about building on that form and building my performances … and not be content with where I’m at.”
Since being drafted to the Power from Sandringham with pick 68 in 2013, Amon has played seven, 15, 14 and six games per season before this one.
He is on track to play the most matches of his career if he can keep his spot.
“It feels like I’ve sort of cemented my spot and that just comes back to self-belief, knowing I can play at the AFL level,” Amon he says.
Two off-season additions at Alberton have benefited Amon: midfield coach Jarrad Schofield and draftee Xavier Duursma.
Schofield gave Amon and Port’s other on-ballers a fresh slate after arriving from WAFL club Subiaco, while Amon was assigned to mentor Gippsland product Duursma.
“(Schofield) was just a fresh face coming into the club, not knowing how I played – he just judged me on how I played during the pre-season,” Amon says.
“It was a massive thing for me.
“(Duursma) is a confident, young kid and he plays a really strong brand of footy.
“It works well that we’re in the same (wing) position because we can bounce ideas off each other.”
Unsurprisingly, the midfield is where Amon expects Sunday’s home game against Brisbane will be won.
The Lions scored heavily from stoppages in their round three victory over the Power and have become a top-four contender with a 10-5 record – two wins clear of seventh-ranked Port.
“They’re a quality team and they’re flying at the moment,” Amon says.
“Us as a midfield, we’re going to have to be on top … because they move the ball really well.
“I think it’s going to be a pretty good battle and we’re going to have to be at our best to beat them.”
Amon says the club, which has not won consecutive matches since rounds five and six, is “over” its up-and-down form.
“We certainly know that the pressure’s on us to perform this week so we can end that yoyo performance and go back-to-back wins,” he says.
As for Amon, he is happy he is no longer alternating between the AFL and SANFL.
He says him and his manager have been talking with Port list boss Jason Cripps throughout the season about a contract extension but “that’s a decision that will be made later this year”.
“I’m playing some all right footy at the moment and for me, (the aim) is to keep playing that and be as consistent as I can,” Amon says.
“I’m sure if I keep playing like this, the club will offer me something later in the year and we’ll sit down and discuss that.
“I love being here and the group of boys that we have, I think we’re working towards something and we can go pretty far.”