LAST year, when Justin Westhoff was little more than the skinny kid Port Adelaide took a chance on with pick 71 in the draft, Adam Cockshell was making a name for himself.
The 21-year-old, who was snapped up with pick four in the 2007 NAB AFL Pre-season draft, had only been at Alberton a few months, but his confidence and imposing physique saw him rise rapidly up the pecking order.
Cockshell pulled on the Power guernsey for the first time during the 2007 NAB Cup and was rewarded for his good form with an AFL debut in round one.
His inclusion in the Port Adelaide line-up triggered a debate over how to pronounce his surname (for the record it’s Co-shell, but he doesn’t mind either way) and provided the Power with another target in attack while skipper Warren Tredrea made his comeback from injury in the SANFL.
The strapping forward kicked a goal in his first game and held his spot for round two before injuring his ankle.
“It was a great experience and the round one game against Fremantle, in particular, was just great,” Cockshell told portadelaidefc.com.au
“I think playing those two games made me realise it’s actually easier, in a way, to play AFL than I thought it would be.
“All the boys know what they’re doing and when, and the game is very structured. As long as you’re switched on, you know where the ball is going to go.
“It’s heaps, heaps quicker than the SANFL and the skill level is a lot higher, but it was just great to get a chance so early on in my career.”
Tredrea’s return in round three made getting back into the Power team difficult for Cockshell and then the emergence of would-be cult-hero, Westhoff, made it darn near impossible.
“Westy was a bit of a shot in the leg for me last year,” Cockshell said, with a laugh.
“It was great for the club and great for Westy too, because he’s a good guy and he played very well.
“But I just have to make sure I keep putting pressure on him by playing well in the SANFL and, hopefully, me playing well helps to push him to play a little bit better.”
Cockshell, too, is confident he can improve his game this season, having only taken up football seriously at age 18.
It was only a chance meeting with a SANFL legend that encouraged the junior pennant tennis player to switch his racket for a Sherrin.
“In year 12 I played a few games for the school team because they were looking for numbers. In my third game we played Marryattville and after the game Garry McIntosh came up to me and asked if I wanted to train with Norwood,” he said.
“I thought I might as well. I went out there and a couple of weeks later I was playing in the Norwood reserves. I played one full season in the reserves and one season in the league team and then got picked up by the Power. It all happened really quickly.”
Cockshell has started the season with the Norwood league side, where he has been thrust into an unfamiliar role.
“We’re a couple of ruckmen down at Norwood at the moment, so I’m playing as a makeshift ruckman,” he said.
“At the moment the Port Adelaide coaches are looking for me to be a real physical forward, so whether I’m playing in the ruck or up forward, I have to make sure I’m creating a presence by laying some bumps and some shepherds.”
Cockshell, who is mentored by Tredrea, is determined to soak up his skipper’s vast game knowledge in a bid to further his career.
“It’s a bit hard to watch my tapes at the moment because Tredders isn’t much of a ruckman either, but he’s helping me with my preparation for games,” Cockshell said.
“I’m coming out of contract at the end of the year, so I’d like to do well enough this season so I can stay around a little bit longer.
“I’d love to get back into the team – that’s my ultimate goal.”
