POWER speedster Nathan Krakouer has taken giant strides since arriving at Alberton via pick 39 in the 2006 NAB AFL Draft.

The gifted 20-year-old defied expectations to play 11 games in his debut year and also worked hard in adding an impressive 12kg to his light frame, but the biggest step in Krakouer’s short career came five years ago when he made a life changing decision.

Krakouer, who grew up in Mount Barker, the Great Southern, in Western Australia, left behind his family and friends to join the Clontarf Aboriginal College in Perth.

“It was a big step for me because, if I hadn’t gone to Clontarf, I don’t think I’d be where I am now,” Krakouer told portadelaidefc.com.au

“Going to Clontarf was like skipping a few obstacles along the way to getting drafted.

“Instead of going through the development squads in the country, I went straight to the city, which is where all the kids hoping to get drafted were.”

The Clontarf Aboriginal College is one of several campuses in the Clontarf Foundation, which was established by former Fremantle coach Gerard Neesham with the aim of promoting education, health and life skills in the young indigenous male population.

The foundation uses football as a motivator to encourage students to attend school and boasts graduates such as Krakouer, Essendon’s Paddy Ryder and Leroy Jetta and Collingwood forward Brad Dick.

Krakouer was first made aware of the Clontarf Foundation at age 15, when his aunty gave him an ultimatum.

“My aunty works in a country school in Wagin, WA and I was there basically doing nothing,” he said.

“She came around with an application form one day and told me that if I wasn’t going to go to school in Wagin then I should fill out the form and go to the Clontarf Aboriginal College in the city, where they have football as well as school.

“I filled it out and, yeah, I’ve said a big thank you to her since.”

While attending Clontarf Aboriginal College, Krakouer started playing football for Claremont in the WAFL, where he soon came to the attention of the Port Adelaide recruiting staff.

Krakouer arrived at Alberton weighing just 66kg and was expected to take several years to develop a body shape capable of playing AFL football.

The lightning-quick midfielder struggled to keep up in the club’s long distance drills and teammate Chad Cornes even went as far as to make a bet with coach Mark Williams that Krakouer would never play an AFL game.

In round one, Krakouer made his debut against Fremantle in his native WA and became one of the lightest players ever, proportionate to height, to play AFL footy.

“I haven’t spoken to Chad about the bet,” Krakouer said with a laugh.

“But when I got selected for my first game, Chad came up to me and said, 'I lost $1000 because you’re playing a league game'.

“Being pretty skinny, if you do get hit by one of the big guys it does hurt.

“I still think a lot of teams don’t play guys my size, or even draft them, because they think we’re too small or whatever, but I think, if you give them the chance, anything could happen.”

The superbly skilled forward kicked five goals in his first 11 games and was rewarded, along with Travis Boak and new housemate Robbie Gray, with a contract extension until 2010.

Niggling calf and quad injuries restricted Krakouer’s second pre-season, but he recovered to play three of the opening 11 games with the Power.

“There have been a lot of ups and downs this year. Lately there have been a few more ups, but at the start of the year there were some downs with a couple of injuries,” he said.

“They are the obstacles you face in your career, so you just have to get over it and move on. I’ll have to see how I go in the next couple of games and see if I can hold a spot in the Power team.

“If not, I’ll go back to the SANFL and do my best there because, at the moment, I’m not in the best 22 here at Port Adelaide.”

Krakouer, who is the nephew of former North Melbourne stars Jim and Phil and a second cousin to Hawks star Mark Williams, has set himself a long-term goal of breaking into the Port Adelaide midfield.

“With the Maggies in the SANFL, the games are a lot slower and I basically play in the midfield the whole time I’m out there,” he said.

“When it comes to playing AFL, I more or less play off the bench and spend five or seven minutes out on the field just sprinting between the midfield and half-forward flank.

“I’m not trying to settle into the midfield straight away because I think it will take a few years for me to develop into that role, but it will be great when I can do it.”