THIS TIME last year David Rodan's AFL career was in limbo.

The then 22-year-old spent his end-of-season break comingto terms with his delisting from Richmondand also the ill-timed nature of the announcement, which was made at the club'sbest and fairest night.

Rodan's contract was terminated after the lightning quickonballer managed just five games in his comeback season from a full-kneereconstruction.

The ex-Tiger refused to concede his days at the elitelevel were over and accepted an offer to train with Essendon over the summer. Butit was a single, gruelling session with Port Adelaide that sealed Rodan's fate.

This year, Rodan again made headlines at a best andfairest night, but this time it was after he was named Port Adelaide's mostimproved player.

"I was thinking about that the other day," Rodansaid after accepting the award. "About how different things were this timelast year."

In round six the pint-sized goalsneak dismissed claimsthat he was the AFL's 'recruit of the year' as premature, but after playing all25 games, finishing sixth in the Power's best and fairest and polling sixBrownlow Medal votes, Rodan was the undeniable standout.

After being drafted by Port Adelaide with the last 'live'pick in the 2006 NAB AFL Draft, the humble Rodan made a conscious decision tolimit his media involvement until he'd proven himself at his new club.

"Coming to Port Adelaide, I knew I had to prove to mynew teammates that I deserved to be here and also to earn their respect,"Rodan said.

"I really tried to put my head down and bum up, trainas hard as I could and not say too much, but talk through my football."

Rodan had his first taste of finals football in PortAdelaide's home qualifying final against West Coast and played on the game'sbiggest stage in the Power's grand final loss to Geelong.

In stark comparison, former club Richmond finished bottom of the ladder, butthe mild-mannered Rodan never once publicly questioned his former club'sdecision to delist him.

"They [Richmond]did what they had to do," Rodan said. "I was just fortunate enough toget picked up by Port Adelaide. I'm really happy here and excited to be a partof such a young group, more than anything."

Rodan credited his parents, Amelia and David senior, withgiving him with the support necessary to resurrect his career.

The Rodans made the drive to Adelaide for every homegame their son played this season and were regular fixtures in the PortAdelaide rooms.

"My parents have beengreat. I try to tell them to stay at home, but they come every week,"Rodan laughed.

"After last year, I thinkthey're trying to make the most of every game I play."