Port Adelaide ruckman Jordon Sweet has reflected on his preseason form, the three-way battle for the top ruck spot, and how he is adapting to the rule changes ahead of the 2026 season.
Speaking from the club’s annual Community Camp in the Riverland, Sweet highlighted how the growing competition among the ruck group is making them better players, and how the opportunity to have five on the bench could open the door to selecting multiple rucks.
The 28-year-old also spoke about the positive influence of the new coaching group, the development of teammate Dante Visentini, and the added dimension Miles Bergman is bringing to the midfield.
Sweet on what the AFL Community Camp means
“It’s good. It’s (the Riverland region) a great place in the world. It’s really good to give back to the community, connect with the kids at these schools and put a smile on their face.”
Sweet on his preseason form
“I’ve been very lucky this preseason. I haven’t had any injuries. I’ve had a couple niggles, but there’s nothing really stopping me. It’s just been really good to get my sessions done, and it’s been pretty warm, so we’ve been getting a lot out of it.”
Sweet on the internal ruck battle
“It’s great. It’s going to make us better footballers, and we’re all learning from each other. So, it’s really good to have the three of us out there in the park, as well as (Jack) Whitlock and (Ollie) Lord, who give us a bit of a chop out there as well. We’re all trying to get each other better, and we’re all trying to achieve that goal of winning a premiership, and if that (competition for team selection) helps us get there, we’ll do that.”
Sweet on Dante Visentini’s development as a player
“He’s definitely a lot stronger, which is good to see. I think he told me he’s put on at least four or five kilos of muscle, so he’s done a great job with his development this preseason.”
Sweet on adapting to this season’s rule changes
“I mean, I don’t know how it’s going to play out, but yeah, I’d say it’s a good chance (that multiple rucks will be selected).”
“Yeah, it’s different than what we’ve had for the last two years (the ruck rule changes). It’s an interesting change of rules, but I do think it works well for me. I’ve got a good idea of how I can work with the changes; it’s going to be interesting to see how it plays out. I’ve been talking to the umpires after the match simulation sessions about how it’s played out, and they’ve said there hasn’t been many issues with what we’re doing. It’s good to have the umpires out there. It’s been really helpful, especially for us rucks with the new rules.”
Sweet on how the game’s pace will change under new rules
“I mean, that is probably why two rucks is probably going to help, because we’re going to be trying to get around the ground as quick as possible, with the short break between balls getting thrown up or thrown in. So, I think there will be a lot of difference in the speed of the game.”
Sweet on Josh Carr’s coaching style
“He’s a really fun coach. He really loves his players and has a great connection with us a lot already. So, he’s going to be exciting to see what he can do this year.”
Sweet on being coached by Stuart Dew
“He’s great. He’s got a lot of knowledge of the game, and he’s come from very successful clubs — being Brisbane, Sydney and Hawthorn — so he’s passing on his knowledge to us, and it’s been really good to have him around.”
Sweet on Miles Bergman’s impact in the midfield
“It’s really good to have Miles in there. He’s one of my good mates, so it’s good to have him around, and he brings a different balance to what we’ve got. We’ve got a lot of great athletes and good footballers in the midfield, and Miles brings another dimension to what we’ve got.”
