Defender Lachie Jones is hoping to add more attacking flair to his typically hard defensive game heading into season 2025. 

Jones and his Port Adelaide teammates returned from a three-week break to resume pre-season training on Thursday.  

Having spent 10 days in the United States prior to Christmas learning about hamstring injury prevention, the dynamic backman is feeling fit and looking forward to the final block of pre-season training before games begin next month. 

Speaking after training, Jones gave an insight into his trip overseas, discussed his personal goals for the season and whether he will follow leaders Connor Rozee and Zak Butters in getting a haircut and shaving his trademark mullet. 

Lachie Jones on resuming pre-season training on Thursday: 
“It was pretty chill. Not much of a session. Just a 45-minute block of some skills. Just to get the boys warmed up to get into training tomorrow. All of us will be doing some sort of testing tomorrow, some running testing….so that'll be a good start, straight back into it, just to test us how we've been after the Christmas break.  

“I didn't test pre-Christmas, just being away but naturally, over the last few years, I've been a fairly good runner - not top, like some of the boys - and the Bronco test is a little bit different. Straight line I can do, but Broncos are like shuttles, so you have to stop and turn around and that makes it a bit harder for a bigger boy like me, but I look forward to it.” 

Lachie Jones on his trip to the United States late last year with two teammates: 
“Myself, (Jason) Horne-Francis and (Josh) Sinn went over to Wisconsin in America for 10 days to do some testing at Madison University, just around soft tissue and hamstrings, pretty much. They’ve been doing a lot of research into some causes of hamstring strains and ways to avoid it so three of us spent a bit of time over there, with (Head of Medical Services) Tim O'Leary and (Athletic Development Coach) Adam Delcano, and (Physiotherapist) Steph Gourd go was there as well.  

“Some of the testing was, you know, working out what muscles aren't probably working as well as what they should be. And how we can improve the way our body's moving, things that we need to change. It was all fairly positive. There's little things that we picked up on that we can fix, that will not only prevent, but, future proof us, like fix our bodies now and get rid of some of the little stuff that can cause issues for myself and the other boys. So I think it was also good learning for the physios and Adam to, you know, bring in for the other boys as well and help them.  

“Last year soft tissue wasn't my biggest issue, thankfully, but it's always handy to know that, you know, there's still a couple of things that can be fixed to try and mitigate the chances of it happening again. A lot of it is to do in the gym and just technique and stuff, some different exercises for Adam in the gym, that you know we hadn't done previously, and now that we've incorporated. I know us, the three boys that went over, we've all jumped on board with it. And it's been fun, exciting to do something different, something that we know that we have to do. We're not following a set schedule as such. And I guess time will tell if it works.” 

 Lachie Jones on his personal goals for 2025: 
“Play good, consistent footy. Last year, I was fortunate enough to play a lot of games, but probably not to the standard, to the quality of where I want to be and where the team needed it to be. So I would rather play just consistent, good footy from the get go.” 

Lachie Jones on the feeling at the club in pre-season: 
“It’s pretty good. It’s Summer, boys are getting the tans on, trainings have been hard, and the boys are loving it. We've been lapping it up, so especially for the new boys as well, everyone getting around them. I suppose that three or four weeks before Christmas, everyone's still finding their feet a little bit. But now we’d be really excited tomorrow, the energy will be right up tomorrow, even after some testing, boys will just be up and about.” 

Lachie Jones on whether Connor Rozee and Zak Butters’ short hair cuts will catch on amongst the group: 
“I've just been doing it myself for the last couple of months. So, I'm due. We’ve got photo day in a couple of weeks, I think so, so I’m due for a bit of a trim up. I'm not sure what I'll do yet, (I might) follow the trend and chop it. 

“There's a few boys that are rocking (the buzz cut), not just those two. It might (catch) on, and boys might do it all around. And (there’ll be) a few boys that will hang on to their hair, probably including myself.” 

 Lachie Jones on who he expects to step up following the departure of Dan Houston in the off-season: 
“There's a few. At the back end of last year when we didn't have him, we were able to fill that hole. You know, there’s a list of names there. You can name players that have already established and already there like (Ryan) Burto, (Kane) Farrell, (Josh) Sinn, Logan Evans, I don't want to leave anyone out, but if Jase (Burgoyne) goes back there, he showed that he can go back and play. I think we've got a good group of young, small defenders that can fill Dan's position as that you know, that attacking half back.”  

 Lachie Jones on what role he will play in 2025: 
“I'd love to get a bit more attacking in my game, but at the same time, really hone in on the defensive side of things. I think it’s something I've always prided myself on is being a hard defender first, and then offense comes second. And I mean, the way the game's changing, and, you know, the way we want to play is quick attacking football, so adapting to that, but I think get the lockdown stuff done first, whether that be on a small forward, or, you know, medium to tall forward, not 100% sure yet, but either way, (I’ve got to) get the defence done first and then worry about offense after.”