Power rewards youngster Jackson Mead with contract extension
Port Adelaide youngster Jackson Mead is ready to forge his own path after being rewarded with a contract extension. MATT TURNER has the details.
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Jackson Mead feels he is beginning to make his own name at Port Adelaide after inking a two-year contract extension.
As revealed by this masthead on Monday, Mead – the son of inaugural Power best-and-fairest winner Darren Mead – was rewarded for a career-best season with a new deal until the end of 2026.
After not playing in his first two years at AFL level, then being on the fringes for the next two, the 2019 draftee has featured in all 16 matches this campaign.
“It’s been five years now in my career, so hopefully it’s time to let that stuff with Dad go and play my own footy in my own right,” Mead said.
“It was always something I was going to have to wear coming into the club as a father-son, and I knew I would have to accept that.
“Me and Dad are completely different players, so I want to create my own story, and my own path here.”
Mead has played 34 games since becoming the club’s second ever father-son draftee – at pick 25 five years ago.
Darren won three premierships for Port Adelaide in the SANFL before featuring in 122 matches for the Power from its debut season in 1997 to 2002.
While his father was an undersized ruckman (193cm) for the Magpies, then a tough centre half-back at AFL level, the younger Mead (184cm) had emerged as a skilful, clever midfielder.
Mead said it took until the past few weeks to start feeling his spot in the side was secure.
He was the substitute in three of the opening eight matches this season and four out of seven last campaign.
“For the first half of the year, Kenny (coach Ken Hinkley) was always saying, ‘Just keep playing on the edge’ and it was working for me,” said Mead, who had been splitting his time between the midfield, wing and half-forward.
“I still have that mindset coming into the rest of the year and hopefully finals as well.”
Mead said re-signing for another two years was exciting for him and his family.
“I’m really grateful for it,” he said.
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