How Port Adelaide forward Jake Neade regained his spot — and his confidence

PORT Adelaide forward Jake Neade is going back to basics as he is trying to add some consistency to his promising career.

Jake Neade celebrates one of his two goals against Geelong. Picture: SARAH REED

PORT Adelaide small forward Jake Neade has kicked two goals in each of his two matches this season and is looking back to what first got him an AFL game to cement his future.

Neade, 23, has only been back for a fortnight but he’s got a bit of verve back, a bit of the excitement he first brought when he arrived at the club back in 2013.

He made his debut in round one that year and finished with 16 games for the season but had already impressed when he ran out on the MCG for the season opener against Melbourne.

It had been during the pre-season, in a night game at Alice Springs, that the ferocity of the then 60-something-kg Neade had caught the coaches’ eyes.

The coaching group was in the hotel lobby the next day, killing time ahead of their flight back to Adelaide, when assistant coach Garry “Buddha” Hocking called his colleagues over to have a look at Neade’s highlights from the night before. He had hassled, attacked and defended deep in attack against opponents twice his size – once being influential in three consecutive contests with three consecutive acts of desperation – and it was impressive viewing on Hocking’s laptop.

But it has been a turbulent journey for Neade from there.

After 16 games in 2013 he amassed eight, 10, 17 and seven from the next four seasons before making it back into the senior side two weeks ago.

“I guess it’s been like a roller coaster so far,” Neade said. “But I think I’m starting to get the hang of it now.

“I’m starting to bring some more consistent games now.

“I’m usually not ready to do that until the back half of the season, I guess. But this year I’ve come out fired and ready.

“Definitely what happened last year (when the Power was bundled out of the finals) and how much that hurt.

“Not only me but all of the boys.”

Neade puts down his inconsistent time in the AFL down to confidence more than anything else.

He has put on around 10kg of muscle since he first landed at Alberton from the Northern Territory outback, knows more about the game and has sharpened his skills.

But one of football’s most valued commodities – self-belief – has been elusive.

Neade has now made it his mission to go back to the early days, when it was all about playing a role, making contests and making an influence – especially on those days when the ball doesn’t seem to bounce his way.

“It’s a lot about confidence,” Neade said.

“Confidence in the ability of yourself, playing your role doing what the coaches say.

“I think one of the main things for me is that I’m just focusing on playing my role and trying to do the best to my abilities.

“Sometimes it does come off but some days it’s a struggle.

“The main thing is to keep persisting with it and more times than not, you get the result you want.”

Originally published as How Port Adelaide forward Jake Neade regained his spot — and his confidence