PORT Adelaide defender Trent McKenzie has been rewarded for a late career resurgence with a new deal for 2024.
The 31-year-old has played an important role for Ken Hinkley's side this season, playing 17 of the first 19 games, but is now facing a race against the clock to play a role in September after suffering a PCL injury last weekend.
McKenzie joined the Power as a delisted free agent at the end of 2017 after not being offered another contract at Gold Coast following 106 appearances across seven seasons for the Suns.
After managing only two senior games for Port Adelaide across his first two seasons at Alberton, McKenzie has now played 56 games times under Ken Hinkley.
The Victorian has signed a one-year contract that could turn into a second season if he reaches a games trigger.
"I have had my challenges, there have been a few times where I've thought I'm done, time to finish up and think about life after footy, but I suppose I've just stuck at it and kept going," McKenzie told AFL.com.au after signing his new deal.
"I've got lucky as well along the way. My relationship with Kenny helped a lot. Even the staff and the list managers – I wasn't playing a lot – so for them to stick by me when I wasn't playing, just to show that faith, it kind of gave me the urge to keep going and keep having a crack. Things started turning and it has worked out."
McKenzie moved to Queensland as one of Gold Coast's 12 priority access 17-year-old signings ahead of the Suns' season in the TAC Cup in 2009. The Western Jets product is the final one left in the AFL.
When McKenzie wasn't offered another contract by the Suns at the end of 2017, the left-footer didn't have too many options but knew he could still play at the highest level if the opportunity presented itself.
"At that stage, my time at the Gold Coast was done and I never thought I would end up over here in Adelaide. I never spent any time over here other than playing footy," McKenzie said.
"It probably wasn't high on my wish list to move over here and play footy, but playing with Charlie [Dixon] at the Gold Coast and working with Ken, it made the decision easier.
"I felt like I had a lot more to give. I was frustrated with a few injuries, a little bit of form, but I think injuries had a fair bit to do with that. I struggled to get continuity in my game, but I knew if I could get my body right I could still play at the level."
Hinkley has transformed McKenzie into a lockdown key defender this year, despite the Victorian standing at only 191cm and 89kg. The move has been much to the amusement of younger teammates who remember 'The Cannon' playing on the outside and launching 70m bombs on his left-foot.
"Some of the young boys find it hard to believe I was running around on the wing or even inside at some stages on the Gold Coast. I don't know how it came about, I played a little bit of junior footy down there. I have that competitive side to my game, but it is a bit different to playing on the wing," he said.
"When I did get thrown down there, I felt pretty comfortable. I'm not the tallest key back at 190 and there are some big boys out there, but the competitiveness helped me out a fair bit. One of my first opponents was Matty Pavlich and I went alright and it grew from there."
