PORT ADELAIDE’S practice match encounter with the Gold Coast on Friday afternoon didn’t go exactly to plan, with the Power returning to Adelaide with a 21-point defeat to the Suns.
However, after travelling with a 30-man squad and being able to deploy 26 players at any one time, the match did present the opportunity for Port to expose more of the inexperienced players on its list to the AFL intensity.
Among those was towering ruckman Sam Hayes, who after patiently waiting until his fifth year on the list at Alberton was afforded the chance to ply his trade against an opposing AFL ruckman.
And after working back from a ruptured ACL, sitting behind Paddy Ryder, Scott Lycett and Peter Ladhams, in the pecking order, enduring a season where COVID forced the club out of the SANFL and toiling away at his craft in that competition last year, you could forgive the young big man for being all smiles despite the loss to the Suns.
“It was awesome to get out there and have a run around with the boys,” a proud Hayes told portadelaidefc.com.au after the match.
“A bit disappointing about the result, but it was really good to get out there and have my first run around and soak it up.
“It was really enjoyable.”
Port travelled with two rucks and many expected Hayes to play second fiddle to the more experienced Lycett throughout the day, but when the former Eagle was taken off as a precaution after rolling his ankle early in the second half his deputy stepped up to carry the ruck battery.
Fortunately, the 22-year-old had plenty of supporters on the field to help him settle into the pace of the game.
“I had all the boys down back helping me out (with vocal instructions) and then I had (ruck coach) Matthew Lobbe on the bench in my ear helping me out and talking to me about my positioning and how I was going in the ruck,” Hayes explained.
“It was enjoyable and I had help from everyone so it was really fun.”
Entering his fifth year at Alberton and with Ladhams making his way to Sydney during the trade period, Hayes knows he is in the best position of his career to hopefully realise his dream of playing AFL football.
The big man was predictably happy to take the first step towards making that dream a reality.
“It feels awesome (to play the practice match). I’m just really rapt to get out there,” he explained.
“I’ve put in the hard work over the pre-season, like we all have, and it is good to get that reward and get picked, even if it is just a pre-season game it feels good.”
Hayes also has the backing of Port’s coaching staff should his number be called during the season, with midfield coach Brett Montgomery praising his “good moments” in a post-game press conference.
“He got around the ground better than perhaps people have given him credit for in the past so the challenge is for all of us to make sure Hayesy is ready (to play AFL football),” Montgomery told reporters.
“The reality is that he sits second in our ruck category and he needs to be ready. We’ve put a mountain of work in, he’s put a mountain of work in and his SANFL form has been good so if an opportunity comes up, I think he’ll be ready.”
On the result of the match, Hayes was pragmatic, admitting the playing group didn’t get it right in the early stages of the game, but was optimistic there were some positive learnings to take into next Saturday’s AAMI Community Series encounter with Adelaide.
“We did kick a few points, so we might need to do some goal kicking practice during the week,” he said with a wry smile after Port only managed 6.19 in front of goals.
“I thought in the second half we managed to fight back a bit and win that last quarter so that is a positive.
“It’s a pre-season game and it is a long year. I am sure we will be alright.
“We’ve done the work so we’re set for a pretty good year.”
Port Adelaide will play its last match of the pre-season this Saturday 5 March against the Crows at Richmond Oval, with first bounce at 3:40pm ACDT.
