Port Adelaide recruit Dougal Howard excited by Power shift

PORT Adelaide top pick Dougal Howard has compared being drafted to Port Adelaide to winning the lottery.

Port Adelaide Power Training Session

PORT Adelaide’s four talls collected in the AFL national draft have been told not to put any limits on themselves despite not being expected to crack into the senior side in 2015.

From the minute they were picked up, coach Ken Hinkley and recruiting manager Geoff Parker warned onlookers to be patient with their selections, all of whom are tall and stringy and in need of building up in the gym.

But the players have also been told that they make their own luck, and that it is up to them if they force themselves into the side this season.

Dougal Howard, the first-picked of the four, said it would be a bonus to play, but that it had not been put out of reach.

The quartet was at Alberton on Tuesday, taken aback by the facilities and the enormous challenge of breaking into the side.

(from left) Dougal Howard, Billy Frampton, Jesse Palmer and Logan Austin arrive for duty. Picture: Sarah Reed

For now, they share an apartment, waiting until after the Dubai trip beginning Friday to sort out more permanent commodation.

Howard, Logan Austin, Jesse Palmer and Billy Frampton fronted at the club for skinfold measurements and other base fitness testing.

They found their way around the place as Robbie Gray made official a three-year extension of his contract and Paddy Ryder went about his business after crossing from Essendon. The enormity of their new life was beginning to sink in.

They have been warned by their new teammates of the challenges ahead, not least the heavy training schedule that awaits during the club’s pre-season camp in Dubail’s heat later this week.

But to first-picked Dougal Howard, a key forward who’s seen as a long-term successor to prolific goalkicker Jay Schulz, there was still a sense of familiarity.

Dougal Howard flies for a mark in the under-18 championship. Picture: Colleen Petch

In spite of the big business of the AFL, at the heart of Port Adelaide was an old school football club with all the ingredients he expected.

``The boys have made us so welcome and they seem like such a happy bunch,’’ Howard said.

Howard compared being drafted to Port Adelaide to winning the lottery but could not have been more surprised when his name was read out by the Power.

Howard had been in close contact with several other clubs and was leaning towards thinking he’d be picked up by them rather than Port as he watched the draft with family back in Wagga Wagga.

But he said it could not have been happier when he learnt his destination was Alberton.

Logan Austin (centre) flies for a mark for the Allies against the All Australian under-18s. Picture: Mark Dadswell

``Like everyone, I’ve been watching them over the last couple of years and yeah, they’re flying,’’ he said. ``It’s going to be hard (to break in), but it’s a great place.

``Having such a young team, they’ll be up there for a long time now.’’

Howard spent this year playing with the Murray Bushrangers in the Victorian under-18 competition and fitted in a couple of senior games with the Albury Tigers in the Ovens and Murray League.

There, he played alongside former Carlton key position player Setanta O’hAilpin and was surrounded by others with AFL experience, but realised much improvement was required for the AFL itself.

It will come sooner rather than later, with the first-year players bracing themselves for the pre-season trip to Dubai later this week.

``Everybody have been talking about how hard it is, but I’m looking forward to it,’’ Howard said. ``It’s going to benefit us in the long run.’’

Howard was taken at No. 56 by Port Adelaide, followed by Austin (69), Hogan (78) and Frampton (84).