BUDDING Port Adelaide ruckman Matthew Lobbe says he’s already reaping the benefits of a mid-season switch of SANFL clubs.

Lobbe, 20, was aligned to the Port Adelaide Magpies in the local league after being snapped up by the Power with pick No.16 in the 2007 NAB AFL Draft.

The hard-running big man spent his first season at Alberton playing in the Magpies’ reserves, but on the back of a strong summer broke into the league side in the opening rounds of 2009.

However, after just a handful of games in the seniors Lobbe found himself back in the queue at the Magpies behind former Sydney Swans ruckman James Meiklejohn and Adelaide-listed big man Ivan Maric.

Lobbe and the Power coaching staff agreed it was time for a change and the 199cm Victorian made the move down the road to West Adelaide.

“There wasn’t as much opportunity for me at the Magpies. Meiklejohn is such a good ruckman that he’s always going to get most of the game time,” Lobbe said.

“I did get an opportunity with the Magpies earlier in the year and I probably didn’t take it. The move was nothing against the Magpies at all… it was purely to get more opportunity and more time in the ruck.”

Lobbe was made to earn his stripes in the reserves at his new club, but quickly worked his way into the Bloods’ league side.

In round 13, he was judged to be the Power’s SANFL player of the week after gathering 15 possessions and 24 hit-outs against Norwood.

Coach Mark Williams said he’d seen a “massive improvement” in Lobbe’s performance and self-esteem since the move to West Adelaide.

“He [Lobbe] was held up a little bit in the twos at Port and wasn’t going anywhere,” Williams said.

“It was difficult for Port to play him with Meiklejohn and Maric. The move was a win for Port, a win for Westies, a win for us and more importantly a win for Matty.

“Now, he realises he’s in a new environment and that he better perform because Westies have actually gone out of their way to show some love and get him there.”

The lanky ruckman has stacked on more than 10kg since arriving at Alberton, but still needs to add at least another 5kg to be able to mix it with the likes of Dean Brogan and Brendon Lade.

Williams said he was quietly confident Lobbe was moving in the right direction.

“He’s played some pretty good games for Westies. Everyone would like him to be a bit more ready, but big guys take time,” Williams said.

“Matty has a great work ethic and he’s a wonderful person. If you’re looking for a type of person you’d want to come to your club and to have an impact on young people Matty is it. He’ll be a leader of the players in years to come.”

Lobbe, who lives with a host family with first-year teammate Glenn Dawson, has settled well into life in Adelaide.

He recently started a degree in Business at the University of South Australia where he shares classes with Alipate Carlile and Matthew Westhoff.

Williams infamously joked that Lobbe was a ‘mummy’s boy’ while interrogating the teenager at the NAB AFL Draft Camp in Canberra two years ago.

But Lobbe said he was relishing life away from his native country Victoria.

“I love being over here. It’s great and I know Adelaide a lot better than I knew Melbourne.”