Port Adelaide midfielder Ollie Wines believes enjoying his football may be the reason he’s reaching his 250-game milestone this weekend. 

The 2021 Brownlow Medallist has been back in hot form this season, and has relished taking a step back from formal leadership and focusing his energy on football. 

Wines spoke with the Adelaide media on Tuesday about reaching game 250, maintaining composure in big games, and how he’s adjusted his role this year. 

Wines on making it to 250 games 
“It was never really a goal. I think you start out and you just want to play one game. You want to, you know, respect your teammates and work your way to create a career. And I guess 250 is just a bonus of it. It’s certainly gone pretty quick. I look back on my career now and I’ve seen obviously a lot of games, and had a lot of teammates and success and ups and downs along the way, but yeah, really proud to get to 250. 

“Probably when I think about it a little bit deeper, you can think back to all the years as footballers, we remember individual games and quarters from years ago. So when I think about it deeply, it does feel like a long time, and the place has changed. You know, we've been through developments, we've been through different assistant coaches, players, so a lot has happened in that time, but I'm still loving what I do, and I think generally that means that you're enjoying what you do.” 

Wines on reaching his 250th at Port Adelaide 
“Probably not (surprised to be reaching the milestone at Port Adelaide) anymore. Maybe, you know, six, seven years ago, it's a well-known story that we were pretty surprised to be coming to Port Adelaide, my family and myself. I'd never been to Adelaide or South Australia, and all of a sudden, at 18 years of age, I was moving interstate. So it was a big shock, and probably particularly where the club was at the time, it was a lot for me to take in at the time, but look, I couldn't have been put in a better position to love what I do, to succeed, to run out with my best mates every week. So I'm so thankful for that day back in 2012.” 

Wines on living in Adelaide 
“I have loved it the whole time. It's very similar to, you know what I'm used to, I'm not used to high rises and lots of traffic and everything like that. So it's always been a really easy lifestyle to adapt to. And I love coming to work out at Alberton, and I love our fans and everything about our football club, and what we stand for in the city.” 

Wines on his Brownlow win in 2021  
“Certainly, yeah, I think (it has been a career highlight), and probably not so much from an individual perspective. I think that year, we had such an outstanding year as a team, and although we didn't make a grand final, or win a grand final, I think me winning that award was a reflection of what the team was able to do that year. I was in a fortunate position to get a lot of votes that year and lead the team. But I think as much as individual recognition, I think it was a team recognition that year, and I’m very proud of that. 

“Yeah, no, I'm not a big fan of talking about it, as I said before, I see it as a real team reflection of that year. We were able to win a lot of games, and obviously I was able to play really well. But I still see it as a real team award that year and a reflection of what we're able to do despite not winning a premiership. So I'm sure one day it'll sink in a little bit more. I’m not letting anyone take it away from me but yeah, I’m sort of pretty humble with that.” 

Wines on comparing his current form to his Brownlow year 
“Yeah, starting to get there. I think I certainly play a different role now. We see the talent we've got around me and these guys doing what they do, I can really focus on that contest and being in and under and letting those guys sort of bring their strengths out. So certainly it's back to consistent footy, doing what I need to do to contribute to that midfield. But as I said, probably compared to that 2021 year, this midfield is very three, four dimensional. We've got guys with all sorts of weapons that can add in when they need.” 

Wines on his role change 
“I think we all want to be the best we can, and we'll work at it, and we want to play the best we can. So that hasn't been an issue (taking a step back from leadership). It's probably adjusting to their style of play, these guys, they're so dynamic, and they're so quick out of stoppage, particularly, that it's probably taken me a year and a bit to sort of adjust to that speed. I think at 29 now, I've been able to sort of add that to my game, that explosiveness and not sitting around the stoppage too long, because you’ll just get left behind by our mids because they're so quick. So I've really loved that adjustment of our midfield, and learning that and adjusting to these guys who are obviously stars of the comp.” 

Wines on his future at Port Adelaide 
“Yeah, certainly I’m signed on for another two years, so I've been here for the long term. I'm generally a pretty loyal person, so I love my teammates and my coaches and everything about this place. I've had many opportunities to go back to Victoria in the past, but the pull of this place and our fans and supporters is too strong.  

“I think that time this is the time of year where those (trade rumours) will come out. And there's probably coaches that will (claim they want players from other clubs) throughout the next month and through trade period. But I'm fully entrenched here."

Wines on helping to develop the young leaders 
“That's been what Darcy and I really committed to this year, helping Buttsy and Connor and these young emerging leaders. You see the development of Connor and how he's led us this year, we've been pretty open to him, helping him out whenever we can, but he's sort of done it off his own bat. So we're there to help these guys, and we'll continue to do that for the rest of our careers. I was pretty open to (not being in the leadership group anymore) with Kenny, particularly the year I had last year, managing my body and just wanting to get back to playing my best football. So Kenny knew from the outset I wasn't going to change. I am who I am, and naturally I will speak up and help these guys out. And he was very happy with that. And as I said, it's worked really well. And the dynamic between, you know, our leadership group and the senior players has been really beneficial.” 

Wines on keeping composure in the Showdown 
“That was probably a focus for the whole game to be honest. Trying to focus our energy on the contest I guess, as opposed of the scuffles and everything that comes with the Showdown. So that moment certainly was one where Connor gathered the group. And I think we like to think our senior guys did as well to, you know, not give away 50s or give away stupid free kicks after that. And I think we're able to execute that.” 

Wines on Dan Houston ahead of facing the tribunal 
“Yeah, obviously he's getting ready for it. He's very remorseful. Dan's in no way a dirty player or someone who would do that on purpose, and I know he's reaching out to Izak, and we hope Izak’s feeling better and getting through it. Obviously, Dan will face the tribunal tonight, and what will be, will be. It's a really hard game to play these days. Everything's so split second. So unfortunately, these things do happen, and whatever happens tonight will happen. 

“Yeah, obviously really disappointing for us as a team (that Houston may miss some games), seeing what Dan's been able to do, particularly the last two years. He'll hopefully be a back-to-back All-Australian this year, and a little bit biased, but I think he's got the best kick in the league, so he's incredibly important, but we've got to wrap our arms around him, help him out and try to move on.” 

Wines on Dan Houston trade rumours 
“To be honest, is not something we really talk about as players like as much as you think we talk about what's going on, like all the rumours and everything. It's not taboo, but we're focused on what we're doing here at the moment, and whatever happens will happen. I certainly haven't really spoken to him about it. I don't know the legitimacy of it or anything, but we're all pretty focused in the now, and whatever happens after the season will happen. But at the moment, we've got a really good opportunity, we’re currently second on the ladder and we’ve got the opportunity to lock up our qualifying final at home. So yeah, that's all sort of all that’s on our mind at the moment.” 

Wines on the intensity of the Showdown 
“Put the brawls aside, but I think the style of football, a lot of contests down the line, probably the conditions being a little bit slippery helped that style of play, but certainly that's what September footy is about. And I think the atmosphere that the crowd created, it's one of big games, and that's something that we hope to expect in September.” 

Wines on his heart condition 
“It wasn't probably too hard to manage once I sort of spoke to cardiologists about it. It's nothing that, fortunately for me, is life threatening. It's just inconvenienced playing football. So it's something that, unfortunately, is hard for me (but) we'll get fixed up at the end of season, and we'll go from there. But I've had a lot of injuries, different to the heart instance, along the way, and you battle through them, but we've got a really good supportive group, particularly in our medical department, that gets us through games.”