Port Adelaide ruck warrior Matthew Lobbe leading the battle cry

“THE harder I make it, the better he seems to respond.” That’s how Port coach Ken Hinkley sums up lionhearted ruckman Matthew Lobbe.

Port Adelaide’s number one ruckman Matthew Lobbe. Picture: Stephen Laffer.

“THE harder I make it, the better he seems to respond.’’

With that line, Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley summed up his lionhearted ruckman Matthew Lobbe and gave an insight into just what makes the Power’s new ironman tick.

One season after igniting his career with a stellar second half of the year, Lobbe has again been left to carry the ruck mantle for the Power.

A long-term knee injury to Lobbe’s ruck sidekick Jarrad Redden and Brent Renouf’s demotion from the senior to rookie list has left the flame-haired big man with arguably the biggest on-field job at Alberton this year - to almost singlehandedly make sure Port wins its share of ruck contests.

“It puts Lobbes in a position where we need to make sure he stays healthy, that’s one thing for certain,’’ Hinkley said.

The man the Power punted on with a first-round pick (No. 16 overall) at the 2007 national draft has in one year transformed from injury-prone battler to battle-hardened warrior and one of the club’s most important players.

Highlighting his coming of age party, Lobbe, who turned 25 on Wednesday, virtually doubled his games tally last season.

He played 21 matches after managing a total of 22 in his first five years at the club.

Significantly, when Lobbe was asked to step up to the plate, he did.

After a modest first half of the season, Lobbe led Port’s charge to its first finals appearance since he was drafted.

After Redden dislocated his shoulder against the Western Bulldogs in round 10 - and with Renouf sidelined by a knee injury - Lobbe announced himself on the big stage.

In the Power’s final 14 games of the season, including MCG finals against Collingwood and Geelong, Lobbe averaged 35 hitouts - second only to Bulldogs All-Australian Will Minson - 12 disposals, six contested possessions and a super-impressive 97 SuperCoach points.

He also laid 28 more tackles than any other ruckman, highlighting his allround effectiveness.

In five of his last six games, Lobbe topped the century in SuperCoach points, including scoring an amazing 154 against Geelong at the Cattery in round 20 when he dominated with 59 hitouts, 17 disposals, six tackles and a goal.

Champion Data says Lobbe is on the verge of elite status and becoming one of the game’s premier ruckmen.

Hinkley says the sky is the limit for him.

“He can achieve quite a bit, there’s no doubt about that,’’ he said.

“But all we want him to do is to remain one of the really reliable players at our football club.

“If he stays a reliable player at Port Adelaide, that’s all I care about.’’

Lobbe’s rise and his importance to the Power saw him this week promoted to the club’s leadership group, joining Angus Monfries and Tom Jonas as new members of the eight-man brigade.

Skipper Travis Boak described Lobbe as the team’s quarterback because of his ability to “direct traffic’’ on the football field.

“His voice around the ground and ability to lead by example has been fantastic,’’ Boak said.

“Along with our other young leaders he is just so driven. He wants to improve and every time he steps out onto the track he leads by example.’’

Former Bomber Monfries played with three fine ruckmen at Essendon - David Hille, Tom Bellchambers and Paddy Ryder - and believes Lobbe is “definitely in that class’’.

“And hopefully he can make an even bigger name for himself this year,’’ he said.

Hinkley, who has the option of upgrading Renouf from the rookie list and can use key forward Justin Westhoff for ruck support, believes Lobbe can handle a second straight year of carrying the ruck load.

He says the 200cm, 99kg running machine will thrive on it.

“He enjoys that opportunity,’’ Hinkley said.

“We’ve got Renouf sitting in the background if we need him but the more load that Lobbes gets the better he plays.

“Reward for effort sits really comfortable with Lobbes. He works really hard at his game - harder than anyone else at our club I reckon - and he deserves the reward he gets for that.

“He won’t for one moment be thinking this year is going to be a walk-up start for him.

“He will be playing with the same desperation knowing that he’s got to make sure that every game he turns up ready to play his absolute best football.

“But that’s what he’s like. That’s how driven he is and I have no fear at all that he’ll turn up again and makes sure he plays that way. ’’

Lobbe said while he felt for the promising Redden - who has been placed on Port’s long-term injury list - he is excited about being handed so much responsibility after years of struggling for a regular game.

“In the second half of last year I enjoyed playing ruck by myself,’’ he said.

“Ideally we would like to have all of our ruckmen up and about and competing to make each other better but if the opportunity is there (to ruck solo) I definitely love doing that.

“I’ve completed most of the pre-seasons sessions, I haven’t missed a skills session, so I’m feeling pretty good about things.

“As Kenny touched on, for me (to be successful) it’s about working hard and if I drop off on that then I’m not going to be any good.

“And as a ruckman I need to be able to drive the team. That’s my job and it’s what I intend to do.’’