PORT Adelaide star Travis Boak puts his career-best form down to being more relaxed and trying not to carry the entire club on his shoulders.
Boak, who plays his 250th game for the club against Collingwood at Marvel Stadium on Friday night, captained the Power from 2013-18 before stepping down at the end of last season.
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"The biggest thing for me is not trying to control everything," he told reporters on Wednesday.
"That was one thing I've always been not so great at.
You think you can fix everything, and you think everything's in your control, where letting go of that relaxes you a lot more.
"I've found that out over the past six or seven months."
Boak, 31 in August, has been outstanding this year having reverted to the midfield after spending the past couple of seasons as a half-forward.
He is fourth in the AFL for disposals, with a career-high 32.7 a game, while he's also in the top 10 in the competition for inside 50s (5.8 a game), score involvements (7.83), contested possessions (14) and clearances (seven).
A renewed focus on his mental health has contributed to his success.
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"I've done a lot of work with (Port Adelaide mindfulness coach David Steventon) in terms of being able to switch off," Boak said.
"That's been challenging for me.
"I've always been pretty wired. and when you are captain, you're always trying to fix things and be in control.
"Being able to let go of all that has been a big benefit for me."
Boak said he never saw the captaincy as a burden.
"I probably could've handled different things better and would've loved to know what I know now," he said.
"It's really important in footy or any sport or life, being able to switch off from your work."
Boak has been through the highs and the lows at the Power.
He was there when the Power won a combined eight games in 2011 and 2012, before resisting an offer to return to Victoria and join Geelong.
The Power have started strongly this season, winning four of their six games, injecting talented youngsters Connor Rozee, Zak Butters, Xavier Duursma and Willem Drew into their established core.
"It feels exciting, there's no doubt about it," Boak said.
"The dark days of before 2013 when we couldn't get too many to the ground and we weren't winning too many games were really challenging, but you look back and that's what made the club today, going through those tough times and the supporters sticking with us through that and the players sticking through that.
"It's what makes now and going forward even more special.
"The sky's the limit with this group."
Boak is contracted until the end of next season but is eyeing off playing beyond that and wants to match Kane Cornes as the only 300-game Power player.
"I'd love to get there," Boak said.
"I feel like I've got plenty of years left, so hopefully I can tick over that 300 mark."
