MONDAY morning might have been Port Adelaide recruit Hamish Hartlett’s first day at his new club, but already he’s established a bond with a senior player.
Hartlett, 18, revealed he’d sought advice from Port Adelaide midfielder Kane Cornes earlier this season, long before he knew he would be joining the club via Saturday’s NAB AFL Draft.
“Kane Cornes is one guy who has really taken me under his wing and I’m sure I’ll learn a lot from him over the next few months. Even prior to the draft, he helped me out during the year when I was struggling a little bit,” Hartlett said on Monday.
“I was struggling with a bit of a tag throughout the [U18] Nationals and I got a meeting set up with him through my manager [Justin Reid] at Elite Sports Properties.
“He just gave me a few little tips on how to shake a tag and, obviously, he’s got a lot of experience in that industry being a tagger himself.
“I was very grateful that he helped me out there and I’ve spoken to him a few times between then and now, so it’s been good and I’ll be spending a lot of time with him over the coming months.”
Hartlett, who was the Power’s first pick [No.4] in the 2008 NAB AFL Draft, completed most of Monday’s session, but will have to sit out competitive drills for at least the next month as he recovers from a shoulder reconstruction.
The skilled onballer has already played seven league games with SANFL club West Adelaide, but said he wasn’t thinking about an AFL debut just yet.
“I had a bit of a setback with the shoulder injury, but I’ve been running for the last month, so I’ve built up a reasonable base. I’ve been out training with West Adelaide as well for the past couple of weeks as well, so I think I’ll be right.
“At the moment my goal is just to get through a pre-season. I haven’t accomplished that as yet, so that will be the first goal and I’ll re-assess after that.”
Hartlett, who identified Chris Judd and Gary Ablett Jnr as his two favourite players, was one of four South Australians picked up by the Power on Saturday.
Woodville-West Torrens trio Matthew Broadbent (No.38), Glenn Dawson (No.66) and developing ruckman Jarrad Redden (No.54) also found new homes at Alberton.
“I’ve grown up with Matty Broadbent and played in state teams with him since U12s, so it’s fantastic for him to be drafted by the club as well,” Hartlett said.
“Glenn Dawson was the same and Reddo [Redden] as well. I’m really looking forward to meeting the guys from Victoria this afternoon.”
One of those Victorian draftees is Jackson Trengove. The super-athletic tall, who suffered a serious knee injury earlier this year, has been labelled the ‘steal’ of Saturday’s draft after slipping through to Port Adelaide’s second round pick, No.22.
Trengove, midfielder Mitch Banner and ex-Geelong forward Jason Davenport will arrive in Adelaide on Monday afternoon.
Hartlett said he was “ecstatic” to be staying in Adelaide, but was still hopeful of playing alongside brother and Carlton forward, Adam, at some stage.
“To play with Adam would’ve been great, but who knows, he could end up here in the next few years or whatever,” he said.
“To line up against him is going to be great as well.”
