Steven Summerton - captain
How have you found the pre-season so far?
"It's been awesome. Everyone's keen to get out there and start playing, and with four contracts left on the senior list our young players keep pushing each other really hard. It will only help our seniors to improve themselves with so many players pushing themselves on the track."
Are you enjoying your new leadership opportunity as captain of the team?
"Yeah I am, but for me I wanted to help our players out before the captaincy was decided anyway. We've got a good group of young guys from the area who just want to play footy for the club and now know there might be a few more opportunities at higher levels if they work with the new programs here to get better. It's an honour to lead the club - I've only known black and white - so to wear the number one this year will be special personally, but I know there's responsibility that comes with that as well."
What are your personal goals for this year?
"To play well consistently and help lead this team on and off the field. We want to play finals and if I can set an example along with our other leaders I think we'll find our younger boys work just as hard."
Henry Slattery - vice-captain
How have you found the pre-season so far?
"It's been good. We've been exposed to AFL coaches, drills and standards. It's been a bit challenging over the last 12 months with my body, but I've been able to get into full training now with the boys and have enjoyed it."
Have you enjoyed training under Buddha and Surj?
"I worked with Buddha at the club last year and he's been great coaching the Magpies. Surj has also worked well with the younger guys out at training. It's been a great learning experience for Surj and he's really improved since he started. We've all learned a lot from both of them."
You've been at the club in a welfare role previously and with your AFL experience you'd be a very handy bloke to have around so many younger players. Have you enjoyed the opportunity to work with them?
"It has its challenges working with a young side. You want to set the standards high and sometimes you come across as being a bit hard on everyone. But I want to be part of a group that strives for success and keeps high standards. We're all about improving the way we go about things and I think that we've made some headway in that area with the younger players."
What are your personal goals for this year?
"For me, I want to stay injury free and out on the park as much as possible."
Aseri Raikiwasa - leadership group
How have you found the pre-season so far?
"It's been good, very busy and probably a lot more intense than in previous years. Everyone's really keen and going really well. We can't wait for the season to start."
You trained with the Power in the leadup to the draft, have you been able to apply some of what you learned into your Maggies pre-season?
"Yeah definitely. It was a really good experience and I've been able to use that to help my own pre-season and to help out some of our younger boys. It was massive for me to be able to train with some of the best and hopefully that helps with my games this year."
Enjoying working with Buddha?
"He's an interesting character with just the right balance between hard work and humour. He's easy to get along with and knows how to work the boys and reward them with a laugh afterwards."
What are your personal goals for this year?
"Last year was really up and down for me, so this year I want to really focus on nailing down my spot and playing consistently throughout the year."
Anthony Biemans - leadership group
You're new to Port Adelaide, SANFL footy and the state as a whole. How have you found things so far?
"It's been pretty good, everyone has been real welcoming of me. It felt like home the moment I walked in the door so that's a good start in my book!"
You're playing in an elite program under Buddha Hocking, how have you found it so far?
"Really good. Buddha coached me in the TAC Cup a few years ago and he's been great with the football knowledge he passes on. It's been a tough and challenging experience to train in this program, but really enjoyable at the same time."
Has Buddha improved since you trained under him in the TAC Cup, or got worse?
"[laughs] Definitely improved!"
What are your personal goals for the year ahead?
"Play as many games as possible and give as much to the team as I can, whether it be on or off the ground."
Jake Johansen
How have you found the pre-season so far?
"It's been a bit tough, probably a higher standard than at the usual League level. We definitely have bigger expectations this year, the new drills that Buddha and Surj have been about to get into us early this pre-season have been really good. I think it will make us pretty strong as a League team, even without the Power players coming back into the side. It's exciting to see what will happen this season."
What are you looking forward to personally?
"Getting some wins on the board and hopefully seeing a few of our younger boys get drafted - that would be nice!"
How have you found your development has progressed this pre-season after debuting last year?
"I feel much fitter than last year. Getting hammered in the gym and on the track has been a big help to my fitness. I think I've developed a much stronger body to play the game and hopefully I can keep improving."
Louis Sharrad
How have you found the pre-season so far?
"Really good. It's been very different to previous years with a lot of blokes leaving the club and having heaps of younger guys out there pushing you along and making you earn your spot. The coaches have been very helpful too, so it's been really good so far."
What's it been like having Garry Hocking and Jacob Surjan at the helm?
"We know how good they were playing AFL and it's good having their experience in the team, but they're also really good to have a laugh with, which makes things easier. Their advice is meaningful and we know they'll be really helpful in our team development."
You played a mix of League and Reserves over the past couple of years, how have you found the pre-season personally and what do you want to achieve this year?
"Things have been a bit up and down when it comes to consistency, but hopefully things change this year. I'm just waiting to see how everything pans out and hopefully I can play well in trial matches and get a League spot."
Any specific goals for this year?
"Probably just playing my roles in as many games as I can this year and hopefully cementing a League spot."
Ben Sawford
How have you found the pre-season so far?
"It's been really good lately and definitely refreshing from last year. Having the younger blokes mixed in with the older blokes has been good. Buddha has been great and the whole Academy program seems to be moving along really well. It's an exciting time of year."
You debuted last year, how did you enjoy that taste of League footy?
"Yeah, I debuted against Westies and it was a good experience to have. Hopefully I can build on it this year."
Has there been much difference in training from last year to this year?
"It's definitely a step up in workload and professionalism. It's been an unreal experience when you consider the facilities you can use and the AFL-standard training practices you're exposed to. I can't speak highly enough of it."
What do you want to achieve this year?
"I'd love to crack the League team and try to hold a position there, overall I just want to be able to consistently play my role and enjoy my footy."
Danny Butcher
You've done AFL pre-seasons before, how have things been with Buddha at the helm?
"Buddha's been really good at teaching the players. Training sometimes takes a bit longer because the coaches spend a lot of time educating them, but I think the young blokes are fast learners. It will be really exciting when the young blokes are mixed in with the match-hardened senior group and the AFL players during the season. Things are a little bit different, but we've done a lot of work and hopefully it pays off."
You've battled your body in previous seasons, how are things holding up now?
"So far I haven't missed a beat - touchwood - and it's the first time ever that I've managed a full pre-season, so hopefully things work out for me."
Are you happy to be staying here in Adelaide, with Port Adelaide?
"Yeah. The club asked me whether I'd be interested in staying on board with our SANFL team just before I went back to Maffra at the end of last year. It took me probably a day when I got home to make the decision. I've made a lot of friends over here in the Power and within the Magpies group from last year. It was a pretty easy decision to stay on."
Any personal goals for this year?
"To hopefully earn a spot in the League team and play my role there. The main thing for me is that I keep developing and improving."
portadelaidefc.com.au will have part 2 of 'Meet our SANFL players' at the end of March.
