AFL off-season: All the latest Port Adelaide news

Arriving at a club flush with key-position players, Sam Skinner knows he faces a battle to crack into Port Adelaide’s senior team. He reveals the spot he wants to make his own.

Sam Skinner thought his AFL career might be over after sustaining his first knee reconstruction, let alone his second or third.

So the ex-Brisbane swingman is extremely grateful to receive a second crack at the elite level off the back of an impressive SANFL season at South Adelaide.

A little more than a year after being axed by the Lions, Skinner joined Port Adelaide on Thursday as a delisted free agent.

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New Port Adelaide defender Sam Skinner and his partner Charlotte Smith. Picture: MATT LOXTON

RELATED: READ MORE ABOUT SKINNER’S STANDOUT SANFL SEASON

“Even after the second or the first, it (not playing AFL again) is definitely something that runs through your mind,” said Skinner, who had three reconstructions by the time he was 20.

“I thought maybe my career was over at Brisbane and having a year to really just enjoy my football ... to now get that second opportunity means the world to me and my family.

“I personally have been up and down in terms of belief going through those (reconstructions), but coming out the back end of the third one, I had a lot of self-belief and still believe I have a lot more to give to the AFL world.

“I’m really excited and am keen to get in here and put my best foot forward.

“I’m just so grateful to South Adelaide and for Port for giving me the opportunity.”

Skinner played three games for the Lions in five seasons from 2016-20, before moving to South to boost his chances of an AFL return.

He was hopeful but unsure if his SANFL form would lead to interest from recruiters.

Only when Power football manager Chris Davies called him on Wednesday with the news did it all hit home.

“It was somewhat out of the blue for me,” he said.

“Obviously having some history with my knees, there was a little bit of doubt.

“I know that I was all right, it was whether or not other clubs would see I was OK to go as well.”

Skinner in action for South Adelaide this year. Picture: Dean Martin

And after booting a goal for the Lions in 2020. Picture: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

Skinner had just finished his lunch break at Christies Beach High, where he worked as a school support officer, when Davies rang.

“I had to try to keep it quiet for the rest of the day and it was pretty hard, pretty draining actually, just putting an act on,” said Skinner, also a lifeguard at the SA Aquatic and Leisure Centre.

“I just had this amazing news and couldn’t tell anyone.

“It’s been a bit of a whirlwind, the last 48 hours.”

Drafted as a defender to Brisbane with pick 47 in 2015, Skinner started the year as a forward before shifting to the backline mid-season because the Panthers needed more height and intercept marking.

In the first semi-final against Norwood, he claimed 11 intercept marks - the most in a SANFL game since the statistic was first recorded in 2010.

The 198cm Victorian said Port Adelaide viewed him as a defender.

“You could say I’m a swingman but I just love playing as a defender,” he said.

“I just feel so much more comfortable.”

Skinner, who trained with North Melbourne last summer, said enduring his three reconstructions had taught him to stay in the moment and made him more resilient.

He looked forward to the challenge of trying to break into the Power’s AFL side.

Port sign ex-Lion, SANFL star as delisted free agent

- Simeon Thomas-Wilson

Port Adelaide has signed former Brisbane Lion tall Sam Skinner as a delisted free agent.

Skinner, 24, played three AFL games for the Lions across five injury-interrupted seasons but was delisted by Brisbane at the end of 2020.

He then spent the 2021 season playing with South Adelaide in the SANFL.

He kicked 16 goals in the opening 15 rounds, and averaged 14 disposals and six marks for the year.

But Skinner really caught the eye after a move into defence in the second half of the season, taking 41 intercept marks in his final seven matches.

In South’s semi-final win over Norwood, Skinner finished with a remarkable 16 intercept possessions and 11 intercept marks, nine of them contested.

At 198cm Skinner is the tallest defender on the Power’s list and Port list manager Jason Cripps said his versatility was also a bonus.

“We like Sam’s athleticism, aggression and competitiveness and while he has shown an ability to play at either end of the ground, we see him playing mostly in the backline, where he performed strongly with South Adelaide in the back half of the 2021 season,” he said.

“Sam has shown great character and resilience to come back from three ACL injuries and we look forward to him taking his opportunity at the Port Adelaide Football Club.”

Skinner made the move to SA to play for the Panthers to try and get another opportunity at AFL level.

He said he was thrilled to get a chance with the Power.

Skinner took 11 intercept marks against Norwood in the SANFL semi final. Picture: David Mariuz

“It means everything to get this chance. My partner and I moved to Adelaide to play in the SANFL to try and get another crack at it,” he said.

“It was a big thing to pack our things up and move across after South Adelaide gave me a chance, so it means the world to both of us and my family to get that call today that Port Adelaide is willing to give me a chance.

“When I finished up at Brisbane, I felt like I still had a lot to give and I aspired to get back on an AFL list so to get an opportunity to do that, I’m just really keen to get cracking.”

Why Hartlett turned down Power, Crows for new SANFL home

- Matt Turner

Hamish Hartlett has revealed he turned down a chance to rejoin the Power as a SANFL player to return to West Adelaide.

Port Adelaide did not offer him a new contract a month ago, ending his 13-year AFL career at Alberton, but a SANFL rule change last week presented a curve ball and opened the door to line up with the Magpies.

As of next season, players who have spent at least 10 years at the Power or Crows will be able to be included on that club’s SANFL list.

Hartlett said after mulling his options, the opportunity to give back to his junior club, develop as a coach and work alongside his brother, Adam, led him to sign with the Bloods on Wednesday.

The 31-year-old also knocked back Adelaide, which was seeking a SANFL leadership player and development coach.

Hartlett will fill a dual role at the Bloods – similar to the one held by ex-Carlton and Crows star Bryce Gibbs at South Adelaide – by playing and working part-time as a development manager.

“Part of the reason why it took so long is the SANFL changed the rules recently, which allowed me to potentially play at Port Adelaide Magpies, and that threw a bit of a spanner in the works late,” Hartlett told News Corp.

“Pretty well by then my mind had been made up, but it was something I had to digest.

“It was all about what was going to best for my development and my future.

“At West Adelaide, there’s an opportunity to develop my career outside of football in the coaching space – that’s something I’ve been passionate to try and pursue.

“Loyalty to try and give back to the club that presented me with an opportunity to get drafted in the first place is another motivating factor.”

Hamish Hartlett has joined SANFL club West Adelaide for next season. Picture: Keryn Stevens

Although Port Adelaide did not have a men’s coaching position available for Hartlett, he planned to speak to the Power in coming weeks about potentially being part of its AFLW staff ahead of its women’s entry at the end of next year.

Hartlett had hoped to keep playing in the AFL before signing with West but he did not receive any offers.

The 193-gamer remained open to continuing at the elite level.

“Maybe after the draft, everyone looks at their list and goes ‘maybe we could do with some more experience in the backline or midfield’,” he said.

“Otherwise I’ll put my head down and bum up, and play really well at Westies in the first half of the year, and see what happens in the mid-season draft.

“West Adelaide have made it very clear that if any opportunities arise, they’re all for me seeking it.”

Hartlett held some initial concerns about joining the Bloods after their 2-16 record and bottom-placed finish this year.

Hartlett will fill a dual role at the Bloods by playing and working part-time as a development manager. Picture: Keryn Stevens

They were alleviated once he spoke with Adam, Gotch, football director Derek Bonner and footy operations manager Wayne Siekman.

“I was really confident in the youth coming through at West Adelaide and they’re a really motivated group of guys that want to improve,” he said.

“The head figures at the club feel like both (ex-Sydney and Hawthorn defender) Kaiden Brand and myself coming in, we can help drive the standards around the place and help get the most out of these young guys, so there’s real potential for quick improvement.”

Hartlett’s off-field role will include working with the Bloods’ juniors and academies.

He was looking forward to honing his coaching skills alongside Adam, a West Adelaide premiership player and ex-Carlton defender who was now the Bloods’ midfield mentor.

“He’ll be my boss, so that’ll be interesting,” Hartlett said with a laugh.

“Nah, we’ll collaborate very well together.

✍️ Signed, sealed, delivered, he’s home!

Hamish Hartlett returns to the Bloods!

Read the full story - https://t.co/q1dxYxrSNJpic.twitter.com/fF5oZCkYoC

— West Adelaide FC (@WestAdelaideFC) November 2, 2021

“We’ve been bouncing ideas off each other for the last year or two and talking tactics to each other, so to now have the opportunity to work with him will be great.”

Hartlett has been running twice a week with ex-Power teammates Tom Jonas, Darcy Byrne-Jones and Tom Clurey to stay fit before the Bloods’ pre-season begins on November 16.

“My body’s feeling fantastic,” said Hartlett, who battled knee and quad issues this year.

“When you walk into the (Bloods’) change room, the facilities and the gym, it does bring back memories from 15 years ago when it all began, and there’s still some familiar faces running around the place, like Logan Hill and Jono Beech.”

Gotch told News Corp Hartlett gave the club a huge on and off-field boost.

“It was very exciting to get the news,” Gotch said.

“A couple of good additions gives us a lot of optimism going forward as we hopefully start to climb the ladder.”

Port’s $30m redevelopment clears first hurdle

Port Adelaide has gained a crucial tick for its $30 million plan to redevelop Alberton Oval.

The Power was granted conditional planning consent for the project by Port Adelaide Enfield Council’s Assessment Panel on Wednesday night.

The club now needs the full council to change Alberton Oval’s community land management plan – to make the development compliant – and also to decide whether the club gets a 42-year lease at $1 per year next month.

Those two decisions are expected to be made next month.

The planning consent came after a four-hour hearing on Wednesday night.

Port Adelaide Enfield Councillor Vanessa Tulloch, a member of the panel, and her proxy Kat Mitchell, both recused themselves because of a perceived conflict of interest, having been previously briefed by the club on the plans.

After they both recused themselves the panel unanimously gave Port conditional planning consent.

Artist impressions of Port Adelaide's redeveloped Alberton headquarters. Picture: Port Adelaide Football Club.

Club chief executive Matthew Richardson said it was the first step in the process for the project to get approval.

“We welcome the panel’s positive response to our development application and subsequent providing conditional planning consent,” he said.

“Our vision is to develop Alberton Oval into a precinct that provides world-class facilities for our AFL and AFLW athletes, but also enables increased access for community sport. Equally, the redevelopment will provide more open green space for casual and passive recreation for the local community to enjoy.”

In a statement the council said: “this is not a decision by the elected council as the owner of the Community Land at Alberton Oval, nor is it a decision on the proposed 42-year lease. It also does not represent an approval by council for the development to proceed”.

The proposed changes to the Allan Scott Headquarters and the new soccer pitch. Picture: Port Adelaide Football Club.

On Wednesday night the panel informed those present that the project could go ahead under the new recreation zone the Alberton Oval area comes under, having previously been under an “open space” zone.

The Power’s plans include expanding the high-performance facilities in the Allan Scott Headquarters, creating two basketball courts for the West Adelaide Bearcats to use for their junior clubs and creating a new soccer pitch that will be used as an additional training space for Port players as well as primary school soccer teams when not in use by the club.

The expansion of the Allan Scott Headquarters, and the creation of the soccer pitch, would take place on public land and the area that used to be a croquet club – which is now an unofficial dog park.

The proposal has divided the local community with nearby residents voicing significant anger at the council and the club over how the redevelopment has been handled.

Alberton residents, who are against the loss of the public park, have also said they are concerned at how the new facility could impact house prices and are angry at the prospect of changed traffic conditions in the area through the creation of a car park.

Artist impressions of the development. Picture: Port Adelaide Football Club.

Alberton resident Sharon Murdock said it was an “inappropriate development” for the area.

“It is a four storey high industrial building that in no way, shape or form fits the character of the area,” she said.

“It is a massive example of them overdeveloping the space.”

Adding to the issue is that the surrounding streets of Alberton Oval, including those properties across the road from the precinct and park, come under Charles Sturt Council.

In a report to the Council Assessment Panel, Port Adelaide Enfield’s development services manager Steve Hooper backed the design of the building.

“Generally, the building is of a modern, clean and high visual standard, albeit of a design that introduces new built form elements not found elsewhere within the site, not in the immediate locality,” he said.

“The design has been the subject of concerns as identified in some of the representations, but I am of the opinion that proposed building style, appearance and palette is modern and contemporary.”

This is despite Port Adelaide Enfield Council’s heritage architect Douglas Alexander raising concerns as to how the proposed structure could diminish the heritage value of the Fos Williams Family Stand on the opposite side of Alberton Oval.

Mr Hooper said he found himself “unable to support the positions of Council’s Heritage Consultant”.

The council received 92 representations to Port Adelaide’s development application, of which 70 were opposed and 22 were in support.

Originally published as AFL off-season: All the latest Port Adelaide news