EVEN after proving himself as one of Port Adelaide's most reliable players in the heat of its 2013 finals series, Tom Logan knew he'd struggle to play much at AFL level this year.
The hard-nut collected 24 disposals against Collingwood in the elimination final, before backing it up with another 17 and a goal against Geelong in the semi-final.
Logan was named the Power's best against the Magpies; the desperate small defender is the type of player built for finals football, when sheer will so often triumphs over natural talent.
Yet despite his significant contribution on the main stage, Logan hasn't managed a game this season.
The 28-year-old said he's not frustrated; coach Ken Hinkley has sat him down and explained how things would be in 2014.
Rather than striving to build on his impressive end to last season, Logan was told his main job would be to fast-track the club's younger generation.
"I'm not the type of player that expects to play each week, I'm not the type of player who thinks I should play every week – I think I have a pretty good understanding of where I'm at as a footballer," Logan told AFL.com.au.
"I sat down with Kenny (Hinkley) at the end of last year and the start of this year and I knew how it was going to be this year, that I'm coming towards the end of my career and we've got a few boys just starting theirs.
"I'm trying to do my best for the boys who are playing in the SANFL to help them mature into AFL footballers … if that's my way of helping the club then that's great."
That's not to say Logan has given up on the hope of playing senior football again – far from it.
His average of 24 possessions a game in the SANFL has him well placed to snare an opportunity at some stage before, or even during September.
With late-season runs on the board, Hinkley would have little concern inserting Logan into the senior line-up for the first time this year in a do-or-die situation.
In the mean time, the veteran's leadership and experience is paying huge dividends for the Port Adelaide Magpies.
The side has only lost one game and sits atop the SANFL ladder on a seemingly unstoppable route towards a premiership.
Logan said that intense pressure bubbling beneath the AFL-selected players shouldn't go unnoticed.
"In the past, especially probably two to three years ago, you could probably afford to have three bad games in a row at the senior level before getting the talking to," he said.
"With how the boys have been playing at SANFL level it really has put the pressure on the seniors and they know that if they drop off for two weeks that there's probably someone in the SANFL that could take their spot."
