PORT ADELAIDE has added valuable speed and experience to its SANFL list with the return of Anthony Wilson to the club.
Wilson played reserves and under 18s at Port Adelaide before moving to Norwood in 2013.
He played 91 games with the Redlegs either side of a stint on Adelaide’s AFL list, leaving the Parade at the end of 2020 with 103 SANFL games and 120 goals to his name.
The 29-year-old spent the 2021 season playing with Adelaide Football League club Payneham Norwood Union where Port Adelaide SANFL-listed players Luke Surman and Jace Bode were also aligned if not selected to feature for the Magpies.
Wilson told portadelaidefc.com.au getting to work with Bode and SANFL coach Matthew Lokan was a big drawcard for his return to Alberton.
“I never fully retired from the SANFL,” he explained. “It was more about trying to develop myself off field so coming here and learning from Lokes and JB and other blokes like (Captain Cam Sutcliffe) Sutts as well just felt like a good environment to start transitioning outside of footy.
“I’m coming towards the end of my career so I wanted to develop myself but also give back at the same time.”
Wilson admitted there was a sense of romance about his return to the club after so long.
He said a lot had changed in his absence, and he hoped to be able to join Sutcliffe and forward John Butcher in sharing his league experience with a young SANFL group.
“It’s been a long 10 years of playing SANFL footy and to come back to Alberton after so long is nice,” Wilson said.
“It’s a little bit strange but it’ll be nice to put on the prison bars again. It is nice to make that full circle and finish up here.
“I’m probably going to be one of the older blokes so I’ll look to take a bit of a leadership role alongside Butch and Sutts and help out the young blokes as much as I can.
“I’ll probably take on that leadership role without that leadership title but I’ll embrace that.”
Wilson joins several other new faces on Port Adelaide’s SANFL list for 2022 including former Woodville-West Torrens pair Jackson Lee and Nick Moore along with Brayden Kirk from Crystal Brook and formerly North Adelaide, Moonta forward/midfielder Aidan Turner and Mac Nield from PHOS Camden.
