Melbourne recruit Jack Watts has emerged as another leader for Port Adelaide after AFLX

PORT Adelaide got further insight into star recruit Jack Watts after elevating him to captain for Thursday night’s AFLX tournament.

Jack Watts captained the Power against Geelong in the inaugural AFLX at Hindmarsh Stadium. Picture: Sam Wundke/AAP

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PORT Adelaide is confident it has unearthed another leader in Melbourne recruit Jack Watts, who was handed the captaincy in Robbie Gray’s absence in the first AFLX tournament at Hindmarsh Stadium.

Watts, the 2008 No. 1 draft pick, has suffered from the weight of expectation over the years but handled himself with maturity and self assurance at the tournament.

Gray was a late withdrawal from the squad on Thursday because of a sore adductor.

Assistant coach Matthew Nicks also noted his ability to lead and passion for bringing the best out in those around him as he was one of the best handlers of the ball in the quick conditions in football’s abbreviated new version.

“We got to see some new talent,” Nicks said. “Whether it was Jack Watts, who is an experienced player in the game, or whether it was (Jake) Patmore, who was there for his first game.

“It was really good to see those guys out there and I think they’ll be better for it.

“It was good to have Jack leading the side. He led off field. He was passionate about wanting to get a win.

“It was another experience and really good for him.”

Port Adelaide's Jack Watts during the match against Fremantle at Hindmarsh Stadium on Thursday. Picture: AAP Image/Sam Wundke

Nicks and the rest of the Power’s coaching staff was supportive of the event, which gave them a close-up look on some of the player’s on the club’s fringe.

But it was no substitute to a regular game, when teams can practice the full game plan rather than shine the spotlight on individual efforts.

“We played 10 players in that rather than 24 so we didn’t get a look at as many players.

“There’s not a lot of our game plan in a game like that,” Nicks said. “The game’s a lot faster, there’s a lot of transition back and fourth.

“There’s some positives to come out of that because what it does is it teaches our guys about transition football — the speed you need to go from one phase of the game to another.

“So there are a lot of positives to take out of the game that our young group will get.

“The pressure in a game like that I’d say it’s probably up on a JLT game.

“There’s no hiding; in a seven-on-seven game there’s no hiding in a back pocket; you’re alway in it.

“So we learnt a lot about the guys — about what they are going to bring when the pressure comes.

“And you don’t often get that. We train the all pre-season where we are trying to simulate that.

“We try to get pressure in but it’s not the same if you don’t have a crowd around the boundary — or ‘the bright lights are on,’ we call it.

“But I look forward to next Saturday when we go out and play a full game plan.”

Meanwhile, Geelong coach Chris Scott noted an unexpected potential in the AFLX game unveiled at Hindmarsh Stadium on Thursday night.

While he was supportive of it at an elite level — and welcomed it as a tool to push the game into new markets — Scott said it could be a better way for children to learn the game.

“We can see the merit for underage (football),” Scott said. “I think it’s a view shared by a few of the coaches around the competition — 18 on 18 on a huge field is not the right way for young kids who can only kick the ball 30m.

“This is a really good way to learn the game.”