WEST Coast youngster Dom Sheed was blown away by how hard the Port Adelaide players ran in the Eagles’ 14-point loss to the Power on Saturday night.
Sheed, 19, entered just his third senior game as the sub and came on before quarter-time after Xavier Ellis hurt his calf.
The 2013 Larke medallist and the Eagles’ first-round draft pick from last year said it was the toughest running he had ever seen.
"It was the hardest-running team that I'd been up against so far, it felt like it was just up and down the ground all night," Sheed said.
"The footy was moving quick so it was tough but I think we matched them for most of the game, it was just that last quarter we dropped off."
Sheed has no idea what AFL finals intensity is like but was told by more senior teammates that Saturday night's match was played at a finals-like standard.
"A few of the boys were saying it was a bit like finals footy out there so at least we stuck with them," Sheed said.
"We didn't get the four points but we'll move on."
Sheed has had an unusual start to his AFL career. A star midfielder in under-age football and also playing as prominent midfielder at WAFL level, Sheed has found himself starting two of his first three games as the substitute.
He said it can be a difficult role to adapt to given the uncertainty of when the substitute is called upon.
"It's tough playing as the sub but you know you've just got to be ready to go on whenever," Sheed said.
"So you've just got to relax a bit and I was on early so I pretty much played a full game and I was ready to go on."
