PORT ADELAIDE co-captain Ollie Wines has been lauded for his best-on-ground performance against West Coast at Optus Stadium on Good Friday.

Wines collected 35 disposals, 10 inside 50s, seven clearances and a goal in Port’s impressive 42-point victory over last year’s premiers.

Speaking on Fox Footy’s AFL 360, Gerard Whateley declared the 24-year-old as his Monday hero, praising his on-field leadership. 

“You can have your dirty ball. You can have your young kids. But then you’ve got to have your players who show the way,” Whateley said.

“The man who showed the way was Ollie Wines.

“He had a few soldiers go with him - Boak and Powell-Pepper were right there.”

Whateley said the co-captaincy clearly meant a lot to Wines and the impact he is starting to have after a delayed start to the season is very positive for the Power.

“Ollie Wines - we know he had the interrupted pre-season - this is what he’s dreamed of, of captaining his club,” he said.

“He shares that honour. And he takes that seriously.

“To watch him on Friday night - yes he takes this leadership thing really seriously.”

Whateley also believed Port’s performance in the west was one of the best of the year, and Wines’ impact in the centre of the ground was vital.

“Port Adelaide lost their way in its midfield. They’ve rediscovered all of that,” he said.

“There’s a lot going right for them and I suspect that’s the coaching performance of the year thus far, what Ken Hinkley orchestrated there.

“But you can’t do that without players like that. So, Ollie Wines is my hero.”

Wines also received a perfect 10 votes from the coaches in the Shadforth AFLCA Champion Player of the Year Award.