Tom Rockliff exclusive column: Playing Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval is the most intimidating experience in the AFL
PLAYING Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval is the most intimidating experience in the AFL, says former Lion Tom Rockliff in his first exclusive column as he prepares to make his Power debut.
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IT is the most intimidating environment in the AFL.
When the Port Adelaide crowd rocks to the sounds of INX’s Never Tear Us Apart and Rudimental’s Not Giving In prior to Power home games at Adelaide Oval, the noise reverberates to such an extent that you feel you are being knocked off your feet.
Even as an opposition player you get goosebumps.
There is no greater home-ground advantage than what Port gets in the first 10 minutes of its games at Adelaide Oval.
It can be harrowing for the opposition.
You run out in silence and then suddenly the ground rumbles like an earthquake tremor as the Power players emerge from the race with 45,000 passionate fans, who completely buy into the build-up, singing and holding up their scarfs like English Premier League giant Liverpool.
It is an amazing experience, although daunting to be an opposition player, to be at ground level.
Even when the game starts the noise is so loud it’s hard for a player not used to such an environment to focus on the task at hand.
Communication with teammates becomes quite difficult because it’s so loud it’s hard to hear anyone talk, so you have to be really strong with your directional pointing.
It is no surprise my record as a Brisbane player against the Power at the famous ground is 0-3.
The average losing margin is a whopping 77 points.
Throw in losses by a combined 207 points to the Adelaide Crows in my two other matches at The Oval and it’s fair to say it hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for me.
Hopefully that is about to change.
After five months of waiting for the chance to represent Port on home soil I cannot wait to run out onto the great ground on Saturday with my new teammates — and to have the passionate Power fans on my side for the first time.
It will be something I will never forget.
Much has been made of my fitness since I hyperextended my right knee in our intraclub match at Alberton Oval last month but I never considered myself in doubt for the season-opener and am raring to go against Fremantle.
I’ve had a slow but steady build up and have trained well during the week.
Obviously I haven’t had the ideal preparation in terms of match practice but the body feels fine and I am ready to go.
While I haven’t had the chance to play games with my new teammates I’ve done some extra match simulation and plenty of running so I go into round one full of confidence.
I can’t wait to drive to the game about 2pm and after a long summer play in a serious match with my new teammates for the first time.
It will be a special experience in the changerooms before the game, with four debutants for the club — myself, Jack Watts, Steven Motlop and Dom Barry.
Our families will be with us in the rooms when we get presented with our playing jumpers and hopefully we can all play well, help Port win the game and make it a day to really remember.
We haven’t been told who will be presenting our jumpers to us but because the club has such a great tradition I’m sure they will be by some very special people.
There have been plenty of great Port men who have worn the No. 11 that I have been lucky to inherit, including club legend Scott Hodges, a Magarey Medallist who is an eight-times Magpies premiership player and five-times leading goalkicker.
Richmond coach Damien Hardwick wore the number 11 in the Power's 2004 premiership win so I know the history — and expectation — that comes with it.
Hopefully I can create my own successful chapter.
Port hasn’t shirked away from the fact that we are here to play finals footy this season following a strong recruiting campaign.
We believe we have great depth in our squad that will stand us in good stead.
But we also know that a good start to the year is vital and we must come out with all guns blazing against Freo.
The Dockers look a bit different to the way they have played in recent years, with plenty of speed on the outside and some midfield grunt back with Brownlow Medallist Nat Fyfe back to his best form in the middle of the ground and big Aaron Sandilands leading the way in the ruck.
It is going to be a big day for the Rockliff family.
My partner Sharna and son Jack will be in the rooms before the game, along with my parents Jeff and Jill who have flown in from Victoria.
My grandfather Jim, brother James and his partner Jackie, my sister Kaitlyn and her husband Brad and other family friends will also be at the game to make it even more special for me.
Hopefully the new boys will get to sing the song for the first time minutes after the final siren has sounded.
It might take us a while to learn the words but I have been practising at home in preparation.
Now we’ve just got to go out and do the job.
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