PORT Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley says Steven Motlop's new teammates are still learning what to expect from the exciting recruit.
The 27-year-old is growing in stature with every game he plays for the Power and he celebrated his 150th match with 28 possessions against St Kilda on Saturday.
Only 15 of those appearances have been with the Power but Hinkley said Motlop was really starting to jell with the rest of the team.
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"He's been quite exciting for us; he's had a few moments that have been incredibly exciting," Hinkley said.
"I think they (his teammates) have still got a bit to learn about Stevie.
"Because when you watch him play you know some of his tricks that he likes to do, and our players are just starting to pick up on a few of them."
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Motlop kicked 175 goals, and excited with flashes of brilliance, during his 135-game career with the Cats.
Hinkley said he would be much more than a crafty goalkicker during his time at Alberton.
"I think Stevie has some real inside-mid about him. At times he's got some outstanding run from outside from wing and positions like that," he said.
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"I've been a little bit interested at seeing him at half-back to be honest; I've floated a few of those ideas past him at times.
"I think there's some growth in Stevie still and there's some opportunities to grow his game even though he's played 150."
Hinkley also leapt to a spirited defence of Motlop's fellow off-season recruit Jack Watts, after the former Demon's 17-disposal, two-goal effort in his first game back since being dropped to the SANFL.
"He came to Port Adelaide at pick 31. We still treat Jack like pick No.1," Hinkley said.
"Jack's playing really good footy for a bloke we brought to our club with pick 31. We should just let Jack breathe a little bit and not zoom in on him so much. Give the bloke a break.
"He gives everything he's got, I think, and pleasingly for us he's developed a will to want to compete the way we'd like him to play and I thought he was really strong for us tonight.
The Power coach expressed his sympathy for the pressure Watts had been forced to deal with throughout his career.
"Poor bugger, you think about what he deals with every week from a media point of view. It's always 'Jack Watts, pick (one)...' well, Jack's not that," he said.
"Jack's a great player for us to have picked up in the off-season and I think we traded away pick 31. For that in return is a pretty positive return."
