Port Adelaide captain Tom Jonas gave a Facebook live Q&A with fans on Wednesday – here’s what he said
Port Adelaide star Justin Westhoff still has many good years of AFL football left in him. But Power skipper Tom Jonas has told of where the Barossan will likely play once he does hang up the boots at professional level.
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Port Adelaide captain Tom Jonas has given fans an insight into the inner workings at the club during a live question and answer session on Facebook on Wednesday.
The 29-year-old, who is the Power’s solo skipper for 2020 after sharing the role with Ollie Wines last season, has been self-isolating at his parents’ shack on the Murray River since returning from the round one match against Gold Coast.
Jonas covered everything from mowing the lawn, staying fit while at home, teammate Travis Boak’s pre-game ritual of listening to the same Rhianna song before every game, to how he was “filthy” that the trailer for the new AFL Evolution 2 video game depicted Adelaide’s Taylor Walker taking a hanger on him.
“Big Texan can barely get off the ground,” Jonas joked.
“I sent him a message and he reckons he does it all the time.
“I said ‘show me some evidence, mate’.”
But the Power leader also shed light on some of the exciting talent coming through the club, Justin Westhoff’s playing future, and how the match committee selects the team each week through a ‘majority rules’ approach.
Check out some of the questions below:
What are the plans to keep match-fit?
We get sent a program, three days a week running and gym.
Obviously with isolation, it’s tough to get out and about and run around on ovals and go to public gyms.
So, we basically pillaged the club for all their fitness gear, I’ve got a bench press up here, a couple of dumbbells, things like that.
Biggest pest in the backline?
Darcy Byrne-Jones is pretty quiet, but quite witty, he’s always got something to say.
Jarrod Lienert, he backs himself in with a bit of banter from time to time.
It’s probably more the forwards that have the real niggle ... after they kick a goal on you at training, that sort of thing.
So, premiers this year, or what?
I’d say we’re definitely aiming to win the flag, hopefully we get back on the park sooner rather than later.
It would be pretty special to win in the club’s 150th year and with all that’s happened.
We’re sitting in a good spot (on top), it’s better than sitting on the bottom for four to eight weeks.
Are you looking forward to a packed house first game back?
Absolutely, I can’t wait to get back to Adelaide Oval, just in front of all you guys.
It’s going to be absolutely massive.
Have you been waterskiing?
Are you Kane Cornes undercover?
No skiing, I’m behaving myself, although it’s been very tempting, the water has been absolute glass for 10 days straight.
Who’s most likely to break isolation?
I know all the boys who are mad-keen golfers and campers would have itchy feet.
Steven Motlop would be raring to get out of the house, I reckon.
Who’s the best player you’ve played against, and toughest opponent?
Eddie Betts used to give me a few worries, especially in Showdowns, he always came to play.
Josh Kennedy from West Coast is another one, he’s just such a workhorse, up and back, working hard all day.
Will Port Adelaide get a women’s team soon?
Great question, I think it’s on the agenda in the next couple of years, so it will be great to have our own team.
We’ve, obviously, got such a great following from males as well as females, lots of young girls who love club, so it will be great for them to be able to come through and play for us and get to run out on Alberton Oval as well.
So, we’ll have to see what happens.
What’s it like playing with Zak Butters?
It’s good, someone asked me about pests before, and he’s one of the best.
We used to have Angus Monfries, who was a big pest, then Tom Rockliff and he’s taken Buttsy under his wing with that sort of stuff.
Do you have any game day superstitions?
If we win a game I’ll do exactly the same thing as I did the week before, whether that’s eat bolognese for dinner or poached eggs for breaky, or go for a walk at the same time.
I’m pretty consistent with that sort of stuff, but when we lose that all goes out the window.
Who’s the coaches’ pet?
At the moment, it’s hard to go past Connor Rozee.
You should hear (assistant) Nathan Bassett in meetings carrying on about Connor.
If someone is going to run through Connor at training, Bass starts yelling at them to be careful because he doesn’t want him to get hurt.
Kenny is pretty level, I’m probably up there at the moment being the captain – we spend a bit of time together – (but) he loves Hartsy (Hartlett), and Roze as well.
Who could be the next captain?
I’d obviously love to do it for as long as possible, but I think we’ve got some great young leaders (coming through).
Darcy Byrne-Jones, Ollie Wines will be ready for another crack I reckon, he’s still young, Connor Rozee is great, Xavier Duursma is great.
I think we’re in really good hands, it’s a really exciting time for the club.
Do I have anything to do with team selection, as captain?
No I don’t, but did sit in on a match committee (meeting) during the JLT (Series) and might do it again a couple of times this year just to get my head around why guys are in and out, and give my opinion.
But it won’t be very often.
Even the first time in there I was mindblown about how much all goes into it.
All of the coaches have different views – when players get picked or not picked, it’s certainly not all of them on the same page.
They go around and canvas all the opinions, Kenny obviously has the final say, but if it’s a majority that overrules him, that’s probably going to be what happens.
Who’s the best pick of the new draft?
They’ve all shown plenty over the pre-season.
Mitch (Georgiades) played round one, he’s going to be a mainstay for us.
Trent Burgoyne in his first trial match against the Crows really lit it up, so that was impressive.
Dylan Williams has been giving me a bit of a touch-up at training.
Miles Bergman, he’s a great athlete and really versatile.
All the boys are really exciting.
Will Justin Westhoff go around again?
If he keeps getting picked, he absolutely will.
The man just doesn’t get injured, he’s fine, he’s a gun.
He’s so versatile and important for us, I think Hoff will be playing for many years to come if he has the opportunity.
Otherwise he’ll be back out at Tanunda with the rest of the family winning flags there.
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