EXPERIENCED Port Adelaide midfielder Tom Rockliff has revealed younger teammate Sam Powell-Pepper helped him return to form in the SANFL, after a slow start to the season.
Rockliff struggled through the first four rounds of the AFL season, averaging 12 possessions per game before a calf injury forced him to miss
He returned through the SANFL where he did enough in two games to earn a recall for the round eight Showdown against Adelaide.
The 28-year-old starred in the thrilling five-point victory over the Crows with 31 disposals, four marks and nine tackles.
He then backed up that performance with 26 touches, seven tackles and a goal in the Power’s win over the Gold Coast in Shanghai.
Rockliff had an interrupted pre-season where he didn’t play a game after coming off a shoulder reconstruction.
“I was just playing catch-up and felt a bit sluggish out there… I just wasn’t able to compete at the level I needed to,” Rockliff said.
“For
“It wasn’t the start I was looking forward to at Port Adelaide, I would have liked to hit the ground running.
“The hardest thing for me was earning the respect of my teammates, that’s the most important thing when you get to a new club and I wasn’t able to in the first four games.”
The former Brisbane captain is renowned for his competitiveness and said being dropped to play in the SANFL was a big call, but the right one by the coaches.
“The coaching staff took it out of my hands, which sometimes as players you need that because we are competitive beasts,” he said.
“I think it’s been the right call to go back to the SANFL and have an extra week to do some fitness to get my body in a position where I felt I could compete.”
“It was a pretty big call at the time but one that I am thankful that they made.
“The hardest thing for me was earning the respect of my teammates, that’s the most important thing when you get to a new club and I wasn’t able to in the first four games.
“To get some confidence out of the last two performances and know that I can compete at the level is really important.”
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Rockliff was injected into Port Adelaide’s leadership group in his first year at the club, a sign of the regard in which he is held by those at Alberton.
But he has revealed younger teammate Sam Powell-Pepper helped him through the SANFL stint.
“It’s funny, we started a little bit of a saying, we’d call ourselves the Bash Brothers but he’s more the Bash Brother and I’m just a little stepbrother,” Rockliff joked.
“He’s a bull, he’s scary that’s for sure and he doesn’t mess around if he sees a ball he’s going straight through it.
“Í just can’t believe the talent, not even the talent, just the way he plays and the work ethic as a 20-year-old, it’s a scary prospect that’s for sure.
“It was good for him to have someone, a senior player, to talk to, but it was also good for me to be able to lean on him and talk to him in games.
“Pepps and I have probably grown closer and stronger together in those few weeks.”
Rockliff said he hoped he’d see the benefits of his SANFL stint later in the season.
He said the side was in a good position at 6-3 and well place for him to play finals for the first time in his AFL career.
Port’s players had a light training session on Friday after having days off following the trip to China.
With a bye this weekend, they’ll train again on Saturday.
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