PORT ADELAIDE ruckman Sam Hayes has had a remarkable start to the SANFL campaign, leading the competition for hit-outs and repeatedly giving his side first look at the ball out of the middle.

The 21-year-old has also amassed an average of 15 disposals, seven marks, 4.5 clearances and 4.5 inside 50s in his first two games this year.

Speaking before the round three clash with South Adelaide at Noarlunga, coach Matthew Lokan said the improvement in Hayes’ work rate has been sensational.

“We've always had high expectations of Sam,” Lokan told portadelaidefc.com.au.

“I think that the challenge for him is a little bit like our team, to be able to do it consistently.

“That's what really impressed me is that he's been able to do it now for a number of weeks, throughout the trial match period, and through the first two rounds.

“From Sam's point of view, it's about him developing areas of his game that he does need to improve on.

“But he's certainly been in really good form the first two rounds for us, and hopefully continues again this week,

“I think for a big guy it's taken some time to develop and improve, in regard to his size and his conditioning, he certainly worked really hard at that over the summer.”

Among his 14 marks across the first two rounds, six of those have been contested and Lokan said it’s been an area the 203cm big man has worked on.

“The fitter you are, the stronger you are, the more contests you're able to get to,” he said.

“His ability to be able to get to some contests has certainly been an area he's been working on and it's shown by the number of marks he's been able to take around the ground.

“We've always known that his hit-out part of his game has been really good and really consistent.

“It's been the around groundwork that we've needed to work on and he's certainly done that.”