This article first appeared on AFL.com.au
PORT ADELAIDE first-year sensation Connor Rozee "couldn't care less" about individual awards, with his focus squarely on the Power's push towards the finals.
Speaking to AFL.com.au, Rozee also revealed the Power's team review meetings have changed to focus on the positives to get them in the right headspace and arrest their yo-yo inconsistency.
Rozee, 19, has been outstanding in his first season for the Power. Last year's No.5 overall draft pick has booted 23 goals and averaged 15.2 disposals per game playing across half-forward.
He's the Power's leading goalkicker, is fifth in the League for tackles inside 50 and is in the top-three for players eligible for the NAB AFL Rising Star award for tackles, goals, contested possessions and inside 50s.
It's no surprise, then, that Rozee's name is prominent in discussions about the NAB AFL Rising Star award, but he's more concerned with helping the Power lock in a top-eight berth.
"Everyone talks about that externally a fair bit, but I couldn't care less," Rozee said.
"I'd rather play finals footy than win an individual award.
"It's been good to have an impact in my first season and people talk about you a little bit, but I couldn't really care less what goes on with that sort of stuff."
He's been recognised – along with teammate Dan Houston – by the AFL Players' Association, named in the initial squad of the best 22 players aged 22 and under.
The Power have got themselves back in the hunt for a spot in the finals ahead of Saturday's encounter with Sydney at Adelaide Oval.
A win over the Swans, and an Adelaide loss to West Coast on Sunday, could see the Power leapfrog the Crows into eighth spot.
It's been a strange season for the Power, who haven't strung together back-to-back wins since round five and six.
However, they've shown they can beat anyone on their day, having knocked off reigning premier West Coast in Perth, ladder leader Geelong and top-eight sides Essendon and Adelaide.
"We've tweaked a few things and tried to focus on the positives rather than the negatives," Rozee said.
"When we're doing our reviews, it's not what we've done wrong, it's what we've done right.
"You still need to focus on where you can learn and get better, but I think there's been a bit of a change of mindset in terms of focusing on what we're doing well."
The Power have made the bold move this season of blooding a lot of kids.
Rozee and fellow first-round draft picks Zak Butters and Xavier Duursma have made an immediate impact, while Houston (age 22), Riley Bonner (22), Sam Powell-Pepper (21), Peter Ladhams (21) and Todd Marshall (20) round out an impressive young core.
"It's one of the small reasons why we've been a little inconsistent," Rozee said.
"It shows how much we've come in and been able to have an impact on the game.
"We're not one of the sides down the bottom of the table, we're still competing every week, so it definitely shows how far we can go."
