PORT ADELAIDE Vice-Captain Ollie Wines says he is playing close to career-best football after his Peter Badcoe VC Medal win in his side’s win over St Kilda on Sunday night.

Wines shone on ANZAC Day, claiming a game-high 36 disposals to go with seven marks, five tackles and eight clearances.

The 26-year-old is averaging a career-high 31.5 disposals per game in 2021, ranking him as elite amongst the competition. He is equal fourth overall for possessions in the AFL and third in the competition for contested possessions.

When asked if he was in career-best form, Wines said he was “probably close”.

“A few years ago I was in some pretty good form. I’ve probably been cut down by injury in the last two years but to begin a season like I have, I’m really happy,” he explained after Port’s 54-point win over the Saints.

“As a midfield group as a whole, we’re really connected and we’ve got really good chemistry in there.

“We’ve got the mainstayers in myself, (Travis) Boaky, Scooter (Lycett), Willem Drew and Karl Amon at the moment but there are so many guys who are able to come in and play a role.

“We see forwards coming up, we see defenders coming in at times and I think the chemistry amongst them is making my role simple and easy to play and it’s probably leading to some good footy.”

After consecutive interrupted pre-seasons with shoulder injuries, which required surgery on both occasions, Wines was injury free heading into 2021 and he is reaping the benefits.

The secret behind his early success; keeping it simple.

“There probably comes a time in your career when you realise what you do well and what you’ve got to be as a footballer and for me discovering that has become a lot more simple for me,” Wines said.

“I’m not a flashy outside running kicking player, I’m in the trenches, in and under.

“Simplifying that for myself and understanding what I need to do to fulfill that role has made it really easy and it makes it simple and I’m very clear minded when I’m out there.”

Port has overcome a host of injury concerns in the early rounds of 2021 to win five of its opening six games.

Now into outright third on the AFL ladder behind the unbeaten Western Bulldogs and Melbourne, Wines said he could feel something building at Alberton.

“Over the last few years I’ve felt the same. This year we’ve started really well. We were able to win these games we’re supposed to win,” he said.

“An added part of our season so far has been the resilience we’ve been able to show with a number of guys going down injured and having surgery.

“It creates that competitiveness for spots coming in from the SANFL.

“We’ve have guys coming in from the SANFL and playing a role to a tee so I think that has been really good for us and it’s held us tight together and set us up for the rest of the year.”

Wines was hit hard early in the third quarter in an incident that led to Saint Daniel McKenzie being put on report for rough conduct and Robbie Gray booting a down-field free kick goal.

But Wines told reporters he had a “pretty big head” and it was hard to hurt.