After a devastating knee injury, Port’s Hamish Hartlett has point to prove in 2019

The injury hit Hamish Hartlett like a sledgehammer. Now — after a year on the sidelines after wrecking his right knee — he is close to a return and determined to rediscover his best.

Hamish Hartlett is retiurning from a knee reconstruction. Picture: Simon Cross

• Power attack new gameplan
• Rockliff’s warning to his knockers: ‘Watch me’
• Power set to debut four in Round 1
• Jonas, Greenwood to kick new goals on podcast
• Our experts gaze into the crystal ball

The injury hit Hamish Hartlett like a sledgehammer.

“After slogging away for 10 years it finally felt like I’d found my (best) position in the team and was really comfortable with playing AFL footy,’’ he said. “Then to get chopped down at the knees five games into the season, it was tough to take and probably the most disappointing part about the whole incident.’’

Always big on talent after being selected by Port Adelaide at No. 4 at the 2008 national draft from SANFL club West Adelaide, Hartlett had carved a reputation as an injury-prone, enigmatic player.

Capable of breaking a game wide open with his class and elite long kicking in his primary role as a midfielder, remarkably, for a player of his ilk, he has finished in the top 10 of the Power’s best-and-fairest award only once – in 2015 when he came eighth.

Hamish Hartlett of the Power is close to a return to action. Picture: AAP Image/Julian Smith

This led to the Power putting him on the trade table at the end of 2016. But the loyal clubman opted to stay at Alberton and after having a taste of defence in 2017 he blossomed as a permanent half-back last year before cruelly biting the dust.

Coach Ken Hinkley described him as one of Port’s top three players in the first five rounds – he was averaging career-highs in kicks (14.2) and marks (7.8) – when he broke down in an innocuous incident at training, rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and missing the rest of the season.

It was a devastating blow for the now 28-year-old, who is aiming to play in the Power’s premiership season opener against Melbourne at the MCG.

“I was playing my most consistent brand of footy in 10 years,’’ Hartlett said. “I was finally playing well week-in, week-out, so to have that nice run of form cut short was very frustrating.’’

Hartlett had asked for the move to defence after acknowledging he “didn’t feel I was capable of having the impact the club and team wanted and needed from me in the midfield’’.

“Playing in defence physically suits my type of game and running capacity,’’ he said. “As a midfielder I really struggled to get from contest to contest and be in a position where I could have a real impact when I got there because of the fatigue factor.

“At half-back I can impact the contest more because once the ball is out of the area I can regain my breath and composure and get ready to impact the next play. I also feel I can read the play really well from that part of the ground, so I really enjoy playing there.’’

Hartlett, who has been appointed vice-captain behind co-skippers Ollie Wines and Tom Jonas, wants to play down back again this year and has spent the summer training alongside the Power backmen. But he also has been preparing for some centre square “burst’’ minutes under new midfield coach, 2004 Port premiership player Jarrad Schofield.

“I’m looking forward to exposing myself – in short stints – to that style of play again,’’ Hartlett said. “But I see myself mainly as a defender now.’’

As for what he learnt most in his long stint on the sidelines, watching from Port’s bench and helping coach the state under-16s, Hartlett said: “Sitting on the bench exposed me to the different emotions the guys experience in a game. My role was to keep everyone as level-headed and focused on the next contest as possible because there is a lot going on and players come off frustrated, angry and annoyed from time to time.

“What I learned is if you can stay focused and keep concentrating on what’s next then it holds you in good stead. Hopefully I can take that into my game and become a better player.’’

Every game of every round of the 2019 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. SIGN UP NOW!