It’s now or never: that was the ultimatum delivered to Brad Symes by Port Adelaide coach Mark Williams at the end of the 2005 season.

Symes was on a high after winning his first league premiership with Central Districts in the SANFL, but his career at AFL level was under threat.

“I sat down with Mark after the 2005 season before I’d really even played a game and he was pretty blunt with me,” Symes told portadelaidefc.com.au. He said, ‘this is going to be a make or break year for you. You’ve got a one year contract and unless you stamp your authority this year (2006) you probably won’t find yourself here the year after’,” Symes recalled.

“That was pretty hard to hear but it was probably good for me.”

Symes burst onto the AFL scene in rounds four and five last season, staking his claim on a position on the Power’s halfback flank.

But just one day after playing his third AFL game Symes was rushed to hospital with appendicitis.

“It was pretty disappointing. Just when I thought I was starting to make a way for myself I end up in hospital for two weeks,” Symes said. “But the coaches were good to me and after two weeks when I was ready to play, they got me back in the side.”

The hard-running defender went on to play 10 consecutive games, in half of them averaging more than 20 possessions. His 27 disposals and nine marks against Essendon earned him the Round 9 NAB Rising Star nomination.

“You obviously don’t come into the season thinking I’ll aim for this (the Rising Star nomination). You play for yourself, your coaches and your team mates. Outside influences shouldn’t matter too much, but when they do recognise you it still makes you feel good.”

The Power boys made Rising Star nominations look easy in 2006 with ‘Symesy’ just one of four players to receive the nod, including eventual winner Danyle Pearce. It is the emergence of these young stars that makes Alberton the place to be in 2007.

“Obviously last year we had a few rough times, but out of it we became more positive than negative,” Symes said. “We had a lot of young guys not unlike myself that got a chance to show what they can do. It’s actually tough at the moment fighting for a spot with all of the young guys, but I’m definitely glad to be a part of it.”

Symes is aiming to use the NAB Cup and regional games to regain some touch and fitness after succumbing to osteitis pubis at the end of last year. The Power No.23 knows he has some work to do to retain his spot.

“Had I played out the season (2006) I’d feel a lot more comfortable about my spot,” he said. “Hopefully the groin holds up and I get through without any injuries. If I play Round 1 then I know I’d be in the best 22 for the year and hopefully play as many games from there as possible,” Symes said.

Complacency is not an issue with the young defender, who is reminded of the intensity of competition for an AFL spot every time he walks in the door.

“I’m living with James Ezard who was a teammate last year but isn’t this year.That transition has been a little bit hard, watching him having to do a nine-to-five day.”

“There aren’t too many jobs out there where you can rock up at nine, work for an hour or two, go have lunch with 10 of your mates then come back a couple of hours later and catch up with 10 more mates.”

But the job of a Port Adelaide player is getting harder according to Symes, who says the Power will be in better shape than ever for the 2007 season.

“Not only are we playing games which take a fair bit out of you, but we’re still doing all the fitness work at training, so it’s probably three or four of the hardest weeks we’ll have,” he said.

“It seems every year the (pre-season) training gets more and more intense. So even though I’m getting fitter, the workload is getting a lot heavier and harder. I think most of the guys will tell you this year’s been pretty solid.”