HE MAY not have the blonde mop, but ChadWingard reminds Port Adelaide teammate Angus Monfries of Essendon star DysonHeppell.
The 26-year-old has played with both,having crossed to Alberton from Windy Hill during last year's Gillette TradePeriod.
Having watched Heppell explode onto thescene and finish his debut season as the 2011 NAB AFL Rising Star, Monfriessaid Wingard had similar qualities of leadership and maturity.
"Chad's right up there as one of thebest young talents I've seen."
Monfries remembered the first time he saw Wingardin action – he saw a player who found space, was never rushed, had clean skillsand moved really well.
Under the guidance of Power assistant andformer Adelaide legend Tyson Edwards in particular, Wingard, 19, has taken ahuge step forward in his second season in the AFL.
He's increased his average disposal countfrom 13 to almost 23 a game this year and he's developed a knack of standing upin clutch moments, as he did when he booted the game-sealer against the SydneySwans last weekend.
Wingard is the Power's eighth-ranked playerin Official AFL Playing Ratings, brought to you by Vero, and 188th overall.
"He's great in traffic, courageous,uses the ball well … you'd probably say he's knocking on the door of the AllAustralian - as a 19-year-old that is just an amazing effort," Monfriessaid.
"The sky's really the limit with whathe can do as a player; he could be something special."
Halfway through his first season at PortAdelaide, Monfries says he is in the most consistent form of his 162-gamecareer.
He has reveled in increased freedom underPower coach Ken Hinkley after saying he was pigeonholed as a small forward atEssendon.
Although he talked up his increasedconsistency, Monfries admitted his accuracy in front of goal had been adisappointment.
He has booted 16.14 this season, comparedto his 72 per cent conversion rate in 2011.
"My goal kicking's let me down alittle bit this year, I haven't been as accurate as I would have liked,"he said.
"It's hard to put a finger on exactlywhat's been going wrong – but I'm aware it's been an issue … I just have tokeep working hard on it at training and it'll turn.
"You work hard to get a shot on goaland you want to finish it off, because they're pretty hard to get."
Harry Thring is a reporter for AFL Media.Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_Harry.
