PORT Adelaide forward Brett Ebert says a confronting finish to season 2009, which saw him dropped and mentioned as potential trade bait, has spurred him on to have the biggest pre-season of his seven-year career.

Ebert, 26, started the year on a high notching up 17 disposals, eight marks and 2.2 in the round one win over Essendon, but it wasn’t long before his form started to mirror the Power’s inconsistency.

His season-high return of 4.1 against the Brisbane Lions in round 14 was overshadowed by seven goalless games and the coaching staff eventually lost patience with the left-footer in round 17.

He was sent back to the Port Adelaide Magpies for two weeks and only a calf injury to former skipper Warren Tredrea in round 22 prevented him from being dropped a second time.

“It [my omission] was on the cards for awhile, so much so that it was almost a relief when I did go back to the Maggies,” Ebert told afl.com.au.

“I know a lot of the Maggies boys, so the first game was actually enjoyable. The second game was a bit harder and it was a bit of a wake-up call.”

Post-season, the airwaves in Adelaide were filled with footy fans declaring Ebert’s talent was going to waste in the forward line and that he should return to the midfield, where he played in his Magarey Medal-winning year of 2003.

Others suggested the one-time Power leading goalkicker should seek out greater opportunities at another club.

But Ebert said he never considered leaving Alberton.

“I still had two years on my contract, so I really wanted to stay here. There was a lot of talk [about me being traded] in the lead up, but I didn’t hear too much talk during trade week itself,” he said.

“Even just hearing that talk makes you wake up and think you’ve got to play well or you’re gone. It’s just such a cutthroat game.”

Determined to make amends for his disappointing season Ebert decided to give himself the best possible preparation for 2010.

He resisted the temptation of going overseas during the break, instead opting to stay in Adelaide where he could train and adhere to a strict diet.

He even put in extra time on the bike and in the gym with the aim of building a better fitness base.

“In the past I tended to see the time off as a break and that was it,” he said.

“I’d still work hard and do what I had to do, but this time around I wanted to do all the little extra bits and all of the recovery, so I’d have no excuses next year.”

Ebert, like some of his teammates, fell into the trap of thinking it would all “just happen” for him last year after reaching the grand final and enjoying a career-best season in 2007.

He will start next year as one of the oldest players on the rejuvenated Port Adelaide list and said it was time he rediscovered and maintained his consistency of two years ago.

“I can pretty much tell before a game whether or not I’m going to play well, so when you’re going average you’ve got to find other ways into the game, like through your tackling,” Ebert said.

“Consistency is something I have to work on and that starts in the pre-season. A lot of it comes down to how my body is feeling. If it’s feeling good I know I’m going to play well, so my aim is to be in the best possible shape going into round one.”