PORT ADELAIDE defensive coach Chad Cornes says he sees leadership qualities in new recruit Sam Skinner.
The 24-year-old was picked up as a free agent on Thursday having spent the year playing with South Adelaide in the SANFL following his delisting by Brisbane at the end of 2020.
At 198cm, Skinner has been used at either end of the ground but prefers to play in defence.
Cornes watched some vision of Skinner before meeting him for the first time on Monday and both the highlights and meeting left an impression.
“His intercept marking is right up there,” Cornes said on SEN SA on Friday morning.
“You would have seen in the semi-final against Norwood it was 11 contested marks, but it was throughout the whole season he’s shown to be really courageous in the air, he can lock down on an opponent as well.
“More than that he seems like a great leader and a really good person as well so I think he could be a handy pick-up for us.”
Skinner booted 16 goals in 14 games for the Panthers before shifting into the backline in the back half of the 2021 season.
It was there he showed he deserved another AFL chance. He took 11 or more marks in five of his last seven games including 11 contested marks in the semi-final win over Norwood.
“He started the year in the forward line and did reasonably well – he had a couple of three-goal games and then at the mid-point of the year they threw him back,” Cornes explained.
“After playing forward and then moving back, you do have that confidence to fly for your marks a bit more.
“That’s what he did – he really backed himself in the air.”
Skinner’s is a story of resilience and perseverance having overcome three knee reconstructions by the time he was 20.
Injury free for more than three years, he spent time at Alberton on Friday meeting some of his new teammates and joining in on a running session with them.
Cornes is looking forward to working with him when pre-season training resumes later this month.
“Having come from the Brisbane system he knows the AFL system so he sets up in the way we do at Port Adelaide, in the way he positions himself against his man, which is a bonus for him already,” Cornes said.
“But what was more impressive was how he spoke in this meeting.
“For a young guy he seems like he’s got really good leadership qualities.”
Cornes will take on additional responsibilities in his new role as defensive line coach, after being elevated from his development role in a coaching reshuffle.
Brett Montgomery has moved from the backline into the midfield to replace Jarrod Schofield, who has left to take on a more senior role at West Coast.
