Brownlow medal: Ollie Wines reveals the mindset change that helped him stay at Port Adelaide and win a Brownlow medal

His mum was popping champagne at 1am and in the aftermath of his historic Brownlow Medal win, Ollie Wines has opened up on his journey back from the brink of leaving Port Adelaide.

There was a time Ollie Wines thought leaving Port Adelaide would be best for his career, and he even had trust issues with coach Ken Hinkley.

But basking in the glow of his stunning Brownlow medal win on Sunday, the 26-year-old said he was exactly where he needs to be, having overcome what he called an “ uncomfortable situation” on the journey to his crowning glory.

Port’s first ever Brownlow winner said everything “clicked for me” before 2021, when he put his ego away and embraced his role, declaring he didn’t think he had “a lot of talent” and realising he could never be a “silky smooth” midfielder.

It came after a turbulent 2019 when he was forced to play in the SANFL despite being Port Adelaide’s co-captain, lost the co-captaincy at the end of the season and considered an offer to join Carlton.

Wines said the club never wanted him to leave and after “a lot of conversations with mum” he dug in and has now etched his name in AFL folklore after a record-breaking Brownlow win.

“I probably accepted my role a little bit and understood I wasn’t going to be the silky smooth mid that carved outside the contest,” Wines said.

“All Ken (Hinkley) needed from me week in, week out was to put my head over the ball inside and dish it to the guys on the outside, who were the creative, more talented players.

“I don’t think I’ve got a lot of talent, but probably as my Mum said … I’m a bit of a stayer and will stick it tough to the end and grind it out.

“So once I simplified my game a little bit more, everything just clicked from there.”

Winess, who has re-signed with Port until the end of 2026, said faith and trust in Hinkley helped him focus his attention on the best thing for the team, which in turn helped him be the best player he could be.

“It probably took me a while to really trust Kenny,” Wines said.

“I had a lot of conversations with mum about it - ‘I’ve got to trust Ken and what he’s done for me’. It’s paid dividends.

“Sometimes putting my ego away and trusting Ken to make the decisions (is what I needed to do). I think at times he is very tough on selection. He has been for me.

“I‘ve doubted his calls at times but now I know he’s always got the best intentions for me in mind.

“As much as we get angry and grumpy at times with decisions coaches make, you‘ve got to understand they’ve got the best intentions in mind.

“They want you to succeed. They want the team to succeed so you‘ve got to put your full trust in them.”

“As an individual I’ve been tested in that on and off the field. I’m proud of myself for standing up under that uncomfortable situation at the time.”

Ollie Wines the day after his 2021 Brownlow Medal win. Picture: Paul Kane / Getty Images

Wines, who hails from Echuca on the Victoria/NSW border, said Port never wanted to let him go when he was considering the move away – when he was still under contract to the club.

He conceded he weighed up the pros and cons, but decided to stay.

“They never wanted to me to leave. It was probably myself thinking perhaps I’ve got to go somewhere else to get more out of my career,” Wines said.

“To the club’s credit, they didn’t let me … and I’m thankful to this day, despite not winning a premiership or not playing in a grand final at this stage.”

Boasting a strengthened bond with his teammates, Wines said he’s with Port for the long haul – premiership success remained the ultimate aim, rather than individual achievements.

“We’ve formed a bond that’s closer than most, and that’s been a key to our success over the last couple of years, and I just want to be a part of that,” he said.

“I’m incredibly proud to still be at the club and glad I didn’t go anywhere.”

Originally published as Brownlow medal: Ollie Wines reveals the mindset change that helped him stay at Port Adelaide and win a Brownlow medal