WHEN Port Adelaide defender Miles Bergman had a dip in form halfway through the season, he turned his attention to the team and the things he could do on-field to help others.

It's an approach that got his own season back on track and culminated last Friday night with one the best defensive plays of the year when he laid brilliant back-to-back tackles in a 14-point win against Carlton.

The Power were leading by four points halfway through the fourth quarter against the Blues when Bergman lunged to wrap up star midfielder Patrick Cripps and then Ollie Hollands to win a free kick for holding the ball as the Blues were surging forward. 

The desperate efforts typified Bergman's approach and set a standard for his team. The Power out-tackled the Blues 91-73 and will try to repeat that effort against Sydney on Saturday night in a crucial clash at Adelaide Oval.

"It was a big moment and I'm pretty proud of it reflecting on it," Bergman told AFL.com.au. 

"It was pretty close, and I just remember getting up and kicking it sideways and telling them to get it off to the other side of the ground. I was pretty buggered afterwards.

"But my main focus as a backman is making sure that I do those defensive efforts well first before anything else, and just being strong in the contest. Whether it's one effort or two efforts, just repeatedly going and getting the job done."

Bergman has ranked No.4 at the Power this season for defensive half pressure acts, despite shifting in roles. He started the season on the wing before playing as a high back, briefly as a midfielder and forward, and then settling as a versatile defender who can play on key forwards if needed. 

The 22-year-old said the defensive jobs he has faced on taller forwards had been nerve-wracking, but he had put significant work into the mental side of the game to help him deal with that pressure and back his own strengths in whatever role he played. 

"Early days I was a bit of an overthinker, and I probably stressed quite a lot going into games and throughout the week about trying to play my best footy and what that looks like," Bergman said. 

"Sometimes that almost gets a bit overwhelming and affects the way I play, but I've seen a big improvement in the mental side of my footy. 

"So just managing expectations and accepting that pressure is going to be there, errors are going to be there, and moving on from mistakes and just taking it play by play."

Physically, Bergman has been able to get his season rolling despite managing the same groin and pelvis pain that he experienced in 2023, with surgery at the end of the year an option. 

Managing the pain has involved a lot of pilates to keep the area strong and intact, and then extra rehab and load management to make sure he has trained enough to be prepared for game day but not too much that he hits the start line sore. 

Whether it's been an ankle injury early in his career, multiple shoulder surgeries, untimely illness, or the more recent groin pain, Bergman said he had grown used to managing injuries and continuing to grow his career despite the setbacks.

"It's knowing that it's not just me and it's part of the game really, and pretty much everyone in the AFL would have something wrong or a little niggle going on at the moment that they're going through," the athletic youngster said. 

"Some may be worse than others, but knowing that I have been through it before and I can deal with it always helps.

"Then just keeping yourself busy outside of the physical part of footy, whether it's uni or just staying active and catching up with people or doing things on the day off."

Golf and surfing are two ways Bergman relaxes away from football, while he is studying commerce and has taken draftee and new housemate Will Lorenz under his wing. 

His Australian Shepherd, Malakai, has kept the house entertaining on quieter days after Bergman's partner, Meecah, returned to Melbourne to finish university studies on campus before an end-of-season holiday to Norway and Finland. 

"We went to Europe last year and Iceland was my favourite, so since then I've wanted to go back, and Norway and Finland drew my mind," Bergman said. 

"I just like the adventurous side of it, the landscape and the snow, and some northern light chasing, so that will be pretty exciting."

Until then, Bergman said he wanted to remain a versatile player who can fill multiple roles for the Power as they target a finals finish.

Asked how he wants to be regarded more broadly as a player? 

"I'd love to be known as a hard worker who is strong in the contest and then just like a reliable player and a team-oriented player. But that's really up to my teammates to decide, I think."