Big-bodied defender Lachie Jones spent time training with Port Adelaide during the pre-season (before AFL COVID-19 protocols were introduced) as part of the club's Next Generation Academy program.

PORT ADELAIDE Next Generation Academy prospect Lachlan Jones says landing at Alberton in this year’s draft would be ideal for him, as a childhood Power supporter.

Jones grew up on the Yorke Peninsula in a family of Adelaide Crows fans but he falls under Port Adelaide’s NGA, giving the club first access to him at the draft.

The 18-year-old has been playing senior football with Woodville-West Torrens in the SANFL in 2020 and impressing recruiters with his size, strength and poise.

The outbreak of COVID-19 has meant the NGA participants have not been able to train at clubs as they usually would around the nation but Jones looked fondly upon his experiences at Alberton last year and in the pre-season, during an interview with the AFL’s Road to the Draft podcast.

“I’ve been trying to make the most of my time there and this year it’s been tough. I haven’t been to the club since pre-season training,” Jones told Callum Twomey and Nat Edwards.

“One of the biggest things I took out of at least training at the club was the high training standards and the self-driven standards – so it’s not just on the coaches but it was a real eye-opener that the players were driving most of the drills and the standard that it was performed at was game-like.

“Spending time at the club, getting used to knowing the younger boys like Zak Butters and Connor Rozee – obviously he’s from Adelaide as well so there’s a bit of a connection there – I grew up playing local footy with Boyd Woodcock so there was a bit of a relationship there already and that helped.

“A few senior boys, in a few training sessions, Tom Jonas was pretty helpful in my time there and they’re all good blokes but those are the guys who stood out for me.”

Jones is a good size for an 18-year-old coming in at 188 centimetres and 86kgs. To put that into perspective, Port Adelaide skipper Tom Jonas is also 188 centimetres tall but weighs 92 kgs.

The teenager made his SANFL league debut in Round 1 and has played every game this season, being named the Powerade breakthrough player in Round 7.

Jones said playing against men and having a bigger body would help him navigate the rigours of an AFL pre-season in 2021, if he gets the chance of being picked at the draft.

He said his experience with the NGA had helped him be ready to step into AFL football sooner than many others in his situation.

“It’ll help,” Jones said.

“To go through the AFL pre-season program, I think I’ll be a little bit in front of people considering I’m a decent sized body so I think it all adds up.

“It all goes together to help the transition so I think next year I’ll make the transition fairly easily.”

Jones has been compared to Jonas with the way he courageously crashes packs, and to Darcy-Byrne-Jones for his rebound off half back.

He has also shown an ability to take important marks, like this one in Round 12.

Working as a gardener and landscape full-time, Jones is also studying a teaching degree.

Despite being unable to train at the club, he has maintained contact with NGA coach Paul Stewart, if not the Port Adelaide recruiters.

“I haven’t really been in contact with the recruiting side of Port Adelaide. I’ve maintained contact with Paul Stewart, the head of the academy to touch base, but in terms of going there and talking to Port, there’s been little of that,” he explained.

“At the end of the day Port is the ideal destination for me.

“I grew up supporting Port in a family full of Crows supporters so that’s something that I’ve always held pretty close to me.

“It’s had it’s ups and downs, definitely when the Crows were doing alright and making a Grand Final. I was too young to see Port win the flag.

“(My family) have been pretty supportive ever since the program took off. Dad sort of jumped ship a little bit, my brother and sister not so much and Mum, she’ll just do whatever.

“Definitely we’d go to Showdowns and I’d have a sad face and my siblings would have a happy face and vice-a-versa but I’m sure they’ll jump on board if that goes well (with Port) or anywhere. I’m sure they’ll be happy to follow (me).

“(Getting to Port would be) the ideal scenario but coming off a year like this, I can’t be too picky.”

Before he can get to the draft, Jones has SANFL finals to consider as he looks to help the Eagles to a Premiership.

They currently sit top of the ladder, having won 11 of their 13 games, and will start as hot favourites for the flag.