A year ago he was on the trade table, now Hamish Hartlett vows to make his mark on Port Adelaide’s finals campaign

CONTROVERSIALLY put on the trade table a year ago, Hamish Hartlett has declared he wants to step up and make an indelible mark on Port Adelaide’s finals campaign.

Port Adelaide defender Hamish Hartlett says he wants to make his mark on the finals. Picture: Sarah Reed

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CONTROVERSIALLY put on the trade table a year ago, Hamish Hartlett has declared he wants to step up and make an indelible mark on Port Adelaide’s finals campaign.

The number four pick at the 2008 national draft, Hartlett has bravely put a tough off-season behind him — one that, under pressure, saw him fly to Melbourne to meet with Victorian clubs Essendon and Richmond — to embark on what he claims has been his most enjoyable year of football.

Now he says he is “desperate to really make a mark on this finals series’’, starting with Saturday night’s home elimination final against West Coast.

“Finals are where the pressure is at its most intense and when you can make your mark as a player and as a team,’’ the 27-year-old said on the eve of the Power entering its first finals series in three years.

Hamish Hartlett celebrates a goal with Dan Houston against the Suns in Round 23. Picture: AAP Image/David Mariuz

Hamish Hartlett is tackled by Bulldog Marcus Bontempelli in Ballarat on Round 22. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

“That’s certainly what I want to do from a personal perspective and as a young team we want to do that as well.’’

“Hammer’’ Hartlett was named by Port’s 2004 premiership full back Darryl Wakelin as one of the Power men who are capable of having a white-hot September and leading the fifth-placed club’s charge to premiership glory.

“I feel that I’ve got that capability in me to step up,’’ said half-back Hartlett, who played five finals matches in 2013 and 2014, averaging 21 disposals.

“The way my form has gone over the past couple of months it’s heading in the right direction (to shine).

“I feel like I am ready to take on the responsibility of standing up in the finals, particularly with so many young defenders around me like Dougal (Howard) and Tom (Clurey), who are guys that haven’t played one finals game, let alone four or five.

“To be able to galvanise them and help them play as well as possible will be my main focus but I also want to have a really big impact on the finals personally.’’

Hartlett, who has played 147 games since debuting in 2009, is finally over the injury problems that curtailed the early part of his career, having played 20 or more games in each of the past five seasons.

He said he held no grudge towards Port after it put him up for trade at the end of last year in search of draft picks and salary cap relief.

“From a personal level this has been my most enjoyable year at the footy club,’’ he said, noting player movement is just a part of the AFL.

“I think as you get older you tend not to ride the wins and losses and ups and downs as harshly as what you probably do at a younger age.and that’s the way I’ve gone about it this year.

“That has helped me to keep a positive mindset and allowed me to really enjoy my footy.’’

Hartlett said he had also relished the move to being a permanent half-back flanker after spending most of his career as a midfielder rotating forward and back.

“A change of position has been quite refreshing,’’ he said. “And working with a new (assistant) coach in Nathan Bassett, who has been incredible in my development as a defender, has been fun as well.’’

As one of Port’s most experienced players in a young team, Hartlett said he and fellow leaders, including captain Travis Boak, will talk to the group after tomorrow’s light training session about how to best deal with finals football.

“What you learn from playing finals is that the first five-to-10 minutes is frenetic and emotions fly high so the team that settles best can get a hold of the game,’’ he said.

“Some of the young boys have been quite nervous and excited all week so the more experienced ones will speak to them about channelling their emotions the right way and that when the game starts to just focus on the next contest, the next job at hand.’’

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