Tom Jonas joins Ollie Wines in declaring his readiness to be Port Adelaide captain

Key defender Tom Jonas has a strong leadership background to be a contender for the Power captaincy — and he feels he is ready for the role.

Port Adelaide defender Tom Jonas is ready to be the Power’s new captain — and has a long story of leadership to take into the demanding role at Alberton. Picture: Sarah Reed

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Determined Port Adelaide defender Tom Jonas volunteers he is not “the natural” by talent as an AFL player. But he does take to leadership naturally — and with experience.

Jonas, 28, is ready to be Port Adelaide’s next captain — or co-captain, if the Power opts to break with club tradition of one skipper wearing the No. 1 jumper to be progressive with multiple leaders.

“I am with (club chief executive) Keith Thomas and the football department on that call,” Jonas told The Advertiser. “We are at a stage now where tradition is great, but we want to win AFL premierships.

“If co-captains is the best way to achieve that goal, then let’s make that decision rather than be bound by a tradition.”

Jonas, another success story from the Power rookie list, has a long resume with captaincy — from junior football to his school house at Rostrevor College.

“I’m not sure how much it counts, but as a junior I always was captain of my club teams, my school teams,” Jonas said. “I was house captain and prefect at school, so leadership has been a part of me.

“It is probably a feather in my cap because I am not as talented when it comes to kicking and catching and outright speed. So I have to pick up the slack in other areas — and that is leadership.

“You always work at being a better leader. But a lot of it comes naturally. I’m also the eldest child; I was looking to set the example for my two younger brothers.

“You learn from your own mistakes. And you take the guidance of your parents, the odd leadership book and there are always pieces of advice — like the gold we had from (Olympian) Anna Meares (on Tuesday).”

Jonas and Power vice-captain Ollie Wines are seen as the standout candidates to take the captaincy void created by Travis Boak standing down at Alberton in the summer. Wines has declared his readiness for the captaincy. Jonas also feels he can take up the responsibility.

“It is an honour to be considered for a role that is filled with great tradition at Port Adelaide, if that opportunity comes my way,” Jonas said. “You aspire to lead a really strong, talented and driven group of men.

“If that honour is presented to me, I would grab it with both hands.

“I feel I can fill Travis’ void, following his great leadership. It would be a learning curve — and I am eager for that opportunity. But that decision is not mine.”

Port Adelaide Tom Jonas kicks the ball forward against Richmond at Adelaide Oval. Picture: Daniel Kalisz/Getty

Jonas, who during the summer signed a three-year contract extension, this season will lead the Port Adelaide defence that last year was the meanest in the club’s AFL story. He will have a new line coach, the Power’s 2004 premiership hero Brett Montgomery, and a new playbook.

The challenge for the Port Adelaide defence that put a clamp on opposition teams (to deliver a club record 75-point average on scores conceded) must become more adventurous in its rebound to set up better opportunities for the Power attack that had its scoring average fall by three goals last year.

And with the AFL rewriting its rules to encourage more attacking play, this agenda becomes a major challenge for Montgomery, Jonas and the Power defence.

“ (Best-ever Power AFL defence) is a nice feather in our cap,” notes Jonas. “But we did have a bit of trouble moving the ball out of the back 50 last year.

“So there has been a conscious effort — as you have heard a million times — to get 18 blokes to defend, not just the back six. This is to have us turn the ball from the opposition inside our attacking half that will lead to more scoring for us.

“After all, it is a lot easier to score from 70 metres from our goal than 140 metres.

“ ‘Monty” and (former Power defence coach and new forwards boss) Nathan Bassett have been working pretty closely to get improvement in that area.”

After three successful years with Bassett rebuilding a new Port Adelaide defence with youth, Jonas is appreciating the new themes offered by Montgomery who returns to Alberton after working with the Western Bulldogs.

“What ‘Monty’ brings to the group is a real intensity and a new offensive mindset,” Jonas said. “He has taken over a pretty solid defensive group, so we have kept a lot of trademarks (from the Bassett era). We are just building on that.”