Port Adelaide recruit Jack Trengove aims to rebuild AFL career at the Power

JACK Trengove was sitting on his couch pondering his future late last year when Port Adelaide threw him an unexpected lifeline. Now the SA-born midfielder is looking to rebuild his career at the Power.

Jack Trengove returned to training with his Port Adelaide teammates on Monday following the Power’s Christmas break. Picture: AAP Image/Mark Brake

JACK Trengove was sitting on his couch pondering his future late last year when he received an unexpected lifeline.

The SA-born midfielder had been delisted by Melbourne after seven seasons at the club and had started to consider life beyond football before Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley called.

“The longer the off-season goes and you’re not getting that phone call, your mind starts to go towards ‘all right, well what’s next, what am I going to do next year?’,” Trengove said.

“I was probably just about at that point where I was thinking, ‘what am I going to do for some money next year?’

“I was certainly sitting on my couch that day thinking I just want one more opportunity to prove myself in a fresh environment. Then an opportunity came and I jumped at it.”

Trengove, 26, flew to Adelaide the following day to meet with Hinkley and verbally agree to join the Power as a free agent. The Prince Alfred College graduate, who was taken at No.2 by the Demons from Sturt in the 2009 National Draft, said it was an opportunity to rebuild his career.

“I feel like I’m a rookie coming in my first year and literally starting at the bottom,” the 185cm recruit said.

“To come to a club like Port who have got the most passionate supporters in the comp ... I’m just so excited to get into it and get games coming around.”

The Power squad returned to training at Alberton on Monday following its Christmas break.

Trengove was relishing the opportunity to work towards peak fitness after playing just seven AFL games in the past four seasons due to an ongoing foot injury.

“It’s a pretty tough side to break into and very competitive. It might be a thing that I start at the Magpies and really have to prove myself before I get an opportunity. If that’s the case, I’m all for it.”