THOSE keeping an eye on Lachie Jones in Port Adelaide’s internal trial match on Friday night may have spotted a couple of changes.
As well as his trademark mullet haircut undergoing a slight trim, Jones bobbed up in the midfield and gathered plenty of the football.
As he closes in on his 21st birthday in April, Jones has completed what he describes as the best pre-season he’s had, putting behind him the hamstring and ankle injuries which have limited his impact in his first two AFL seasons.
Having ended his season early for hamstring surgery last year, the 20-gamer was pleased to be back on the park for the club’s first full hit-out at Alberton on Friday night, although he can’t wait to get to Perth next week to face West Coast and Fremantle to round out the pre-season.
“It was good to get the boys together and play a proper game,” Jones said following the intra-club game, which was played in front of 2753 supporters and watched by thousands more on a live stream.
“Obviously it’s a little tough playing against your teammates, knowing where the kicks are going to go and that sort of stuff but it was good to have a genuine hit-out and having all the fans there, 2000-odd shows how good our fans are.
“Playing against your teammates is tough… it’ll be good to play some opponents so we can put our game plan to the test and scrub out any (issues) before round 1 and find our weaknesses and really hit round 1 ready to go.”
Friday night’s game was the first chance for Port Adelaide supporters to see their four draftees and new recruits Jason Horne-Francis, Junior Rioli and Francis Evans in action as a stronger and more experienced black team beat a white team featuring several SANFL-contracted players 10.14 (74) to 7.5 (47) in a game that was scrappy at times.
The match also saw the return from injury of ruckman Scott Lycett and forward Orazio Fantasia, along with defender Jake Pasini following his serious knee injury last season.
Each of Lycett, Fantasia and Pasini completed the game, while 2021 Brownlow Medallist Ollie Wines was managed after half time and big forward Charlie Dixon didn’t re-emerge after the main break after suffering a minor knock to his ribs.
Jones was particularly excited by some of the work done by Horne-Francis, Rioli and Evans.
“I think all three had pretty good games,” he said of his new teammates.
“(Horne-Francis) out of the middle was pretty strong, he’s a bit of a bull so he was always going to dominate.
“Junior pulls things out that most players can’t. It’s lovely to watch and it’s great to have him on our side this year. Hopefully he gets into full flight and can show the league what he can do, because I think he’s still got it in him.
“Frankie Evans as a small forward is showing what he can do and will be pushing to play AFL games this year so it’s good to have all three of them flying.”
Supporters used to seeing Jones’ mullet flying across half back may need to get used to seeing it further up the ground with the Bute product having spent large chunks of the game playing in the midfield.
His work on the ball earned the praise of forwards coach Chad Cornes, but Jones explained that he wasn’t sure whether the move would become a more permanent.
“I’ve been told (I’ll play) back, but (I’ve) been playing mid(field) so we’ll wait until we get into games a bit more and get a bit more education in with the coaches,” he said.
“I’ll be able to play anywhere I guess.”
And as for the mullet, it’s still there, just shorter.
“I got sick of the longer hair so I went to the barber and said to take a few inches off,” Jones smiled. “He might have taken a couple more than I’d expected and it took me a day getting used to it but coming back to the club I got pretty good feedback.
“Overall, I’m pretty happy with it and feel like I’ve lost a couple of kilos, I’m running a bit faster so I’ll put that down to having a better pre-season as well.
“I’m rocking it for now and like hair, it’ll grow back eventually so I’m loving it.”
Jones and his teammates will launch the 2023 season with the club’s Season Launch and Hall of Fame dinner on Wednesday night, before travelling to Perth the next day ahead of Friday evening’s unofficial hit-out against West Coast.
