Port Adelaide recruit Tom Rockliff still trying to earn respect at his new club after indifferent start

TOM Rockliff made an instant impression at Port Adelaide that earned him a spot in the club’s leadership group but after battling injury early at his new club the former Lions captain says he still needs to earn the respect of the players and the fans.

Tom Rockliff is working back into form after struggling with injury and fitness in his first games for the Power.

TOM Rockliff is still chasing respect at Port Adelaide, even after immediately earning a place in the Power’s leadership group in the summer.

The former Brisbane captain says he must also earn esteem from his teammates — and the Port Adelaide fans — by his work on the field, a task that has been challenged by injury setbacks.

“There is still plenty of work to do from my end to earn the respect of the playing group — and the Port Adelaide faithful,” Rockliff said at Alberton on Friday as the Power squad returned to training after its China adventure.

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In reflecting on his start at Alberton, Rockliff said: “The hardest thing for me was earning the respect of my teammates; that’s the most-important thing when you get to a new club.

“You want to earn that respect — and I was not able to in the first four games.”

Rockliff, 28, arrived at Alberton as a free agent in late October recovering from shoulder surgery. He played no pre-season matches as he dealt with a right-knee strain. And the experienced midfielder was sent to the SANFL late in April after struggling through his first four AFL matches for the Power with a calf strain.

“It’s not the start was looking forward to at Port Adelaide; I would have liked to have hit the ground running,” Rockliff said.

Tom Rockliff is working back into form after struggling with injury and fitness in his first games for the Power.

“I knew I was not at my best, particularly after the Sydney game (in Round 2) where we had an outstanding win — and I knew that I did not contribute whatsoever ... one handball late that (coach) Ken (Hinkley) tried to sell to pump me up and get me going. But it did not happen.

“I still have some better football in front of me in the second half of the year.”

The benefit of hindsight tells Rockliff he should have started the season in the SANFL.

He did play two SANFL games with the Magpies before returning to the Power line-up — with greater power in his legs — for the epic Showdown 44 win against Adelaide.

Rockliff describes Hinkley’s decision to send him to the SANFL as a “pretty big call ... and one I am thankful” the Power coaching staff made last month.

“For me it was about getting fitness in the legs (after) an interrupted pre-season, coming off a shoulder reconstruction and a little hiccup (knee strain) before got into the season,” Rockliff said. “I had no pre-season games, so I was playing catch-up.

Rockliff says he’s still trying to earn the respect of his new club. Picture: Sarah Reed

“I felt a bit sluggish out there — and you watched me cover the ground in those first four (AFL) games and was not able to compete at the level that I needed to.

“And the coaching staff took that out of my hands ... sometimes as players you need them to do that because we are competitive beasts. We want to get out there and play. For them to take that out of my hands (was) the right call.

“Going back to the SANFL — and having an extra week (in the state league) as well — got my body feeling that I was in a position where I could compete and play some decent football.”

Port Adelaide’s 26-man China squad will train at Alberton on Saturday, while having the first of the AFL mid-season byes.

The Power will resume the race to finals in Launceston next Saturday against Hawthorn. Rockliff is charged with the opportunity to play against family — his cousin, 19-year-old Hawks halfback Harry Morrison.

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