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SOMEWHERE between packing his bags to leave Brisbane, being shopped around in Adelaide then struggling to keep up in his first time trial with the Power, the penny dropped for Jared Polec.
It had to, because somewhere between making his SANFL debut at 16, being drafted by the Lions with Pick No.5 then struggling for just 16 AFL games in the next three years, something went wrong.
RUCCI: A CHANGE OF COLOURS CAN TRANSFORM A PLAYER
Struggling with injury and motivation and playing just one game in a struggling side last year, this was not the direction the career of one of the most exciting young players in the country was supposed to be going.
SCROLL DOWN FOR THE TOP 10 RECRUITS OF 2014
While Polec played 16 games in his first three years, almost every other top-10 draft pick from 2010 had gone flying past him including David Swallow (51), Harley Bennel (51), Sam Day (42), Andrew Gaff (63), Reece Conca (52), Josh Caddy (42), Dyson Heppell (62), Dion Prestia (51) and Daniel Gorringe (17).
Blessed with natural talent - Polec is a classy left-foot kick, has pace and that magical trait that seems as though everyone else stands still when he gets the footy - he showed it all as a teenager.
Port Adelaide's Jared Polec takes on the Giants' Curtly Hampton. Picture: Mark Nolan.
But in 16 games with Brisbane from 2011-2013, Polec never had more than 20 disposals.
The run and carry and ability to break the lines and take the game on wasn't entirely gone, but he couldn't show it on a consistent basis.
Injuries didn't help but Polec admits there was more to it than that and the blame rested with him.
"Injuries did get to me but I don't think I was professional enough to get through them and was a bit immature ... just taking shortcuts," he said.
Polec hurt his knee twice, ankle and groin while at Brisbane and at times he questioned himself.
"I started doubting myself with football, it wasn't like I didn't enjoy football but I wasn't enjoying it as much as I used to and I kind of lost interest a bit over there.
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"Coming to Port Adelaide, the first day I felt like I wanted to be part of this side, and saying 'yeah I want to give footy a crack', and with the help of Burgo (Darren Burgess) and Ken Hinkley it's coming together."
Having requested a trade at the end of 2013, Polec was given a clip on the way out the door by former teammate Pearce Hanley who labelled Brisbane's wantaway youngsters as "mummies' boys" on Twitter.
But one man who didn't hold a grudge was his old coach Michael Voss - who had already been sacked by the Lions - and helped Polec begin the long road back.
"He (Voss) was messaging me saying 'how's your training going?' and he guided me through the trade," Polec said.
"I still thank him to this day. Especially the last six-to-eight months at Brisbane trying to get me settled and turn me into a professional footballer he always showed faith in me.
"But in the end he said 'you've got to do what makes you happy, it's at home isn't it?'"
Polec eventually got to Port Adelaide via a three-way trade deal involving GWS.
But then came the first running session of the summer - a 3km time trial around the North Adelaide parklands where he struggled to finish middle of the road.
For someone hailed as a 'speedster' and so-called gun recruit, it raised a few eyebrows among Port fans.
Granted Polec was coming off a bout of tonsillitis and was no certainty to even start the time trial, he deserved some credit for fronting up at all.
But in the cauldron of AFL football, the expectation of the fans and scrutiny of the media has little time for excuses.
"We (Hinkley) both knew I was sick but I'm so glad I did run it because I would never have gotten spoken to like that otherwise, and that there when he (Hinkley) pulled me aside was a massive wake-up call that I had to lift and put effort into this pre-season," Polec said.
"And I reckon Dubai (training camp) really saved me this year and (without it) I wouldn't have been performing the way I was this early in the season. I think I dropped a minute over a 3km time trial after Dubai."
Given a fresh start and armed with a fresh attitude, in the six months since that time trial the 21-year-old has gone from struggling to get a game to dominating them.
In the first seven games this season, Polec is averaging 24 disposals and twice he has been named best-on in Port's wins over West Coast and last week over GWS when he kicked three goals.
"I watched that game the other day and saw him steam out from a stoppage, show explosive speed then swing onto his left foot and I thought 'yeah I remember seeing that'," Polec's old SANFL coach Michael Godden said.
"I remember sitting back in pre-season when the Crows and Power were courting him and thinking 'wow, this is a lot of attention for a young guy who really hasn't done anything at AFL level yet'.
"But talent never goes away, you've just got to find the trigger for it and obviously those two clubs knew that."
It's as if Polec has rediscovered his old self again.
"I guess I'm just happy to be playing football again and not being injured," he said.
"Coming home and seeing how hard those boys trained and everyone of them was up to scratch, it makes you want to train better."
Port Adelaide's Matt White has "top-end speed", says assistant coach Shaun Hart. Picture: Mark Nolan. Source: Getty Images
POWER FEELS THE NEED FOR SPEED
PORT Adelaide wanted to address its need for speed over summer and in doing so landed two of the AFL's recruits of the season so far.
Jared Polec and Matt White didn't have anywhere near the reputation of free agents Buddy Franklin and Dale Thomas when they switched clubs last year, but their output has already been more significant on their team's fortunes.
Certainly dollar-for-dollar, the value of their contribution would be off the charts compared to Franklin and Thomas, even though Richmond coach Damien Hardwick said the Tigers weren't prepared to match the "very lucrative" offer Port made White to lure him across the border.
"They've certainly shown great signs," Port Adelaide director of coaching Shaun Hart said of Polec and White.
"White's got that top-end speed and Polec can run okay, he might not have the top-end speed but he can get it and he can bounce it."
Hart said he was aware of Polec's ability before they both got to Alberton this season from coaching against him in the NEAFL.
Hart was in charge of the Gold Coast reserves who played against Polec in the Lions reserves.
"I knew he had plenty of talent and knew he was capable of getting the footy and running yards," Hart said.
"But he hadn't been able to get the work into him during pre-season."
Polec appears to playing with the freedom of a licence to roam anywhere from the midfield to in front of goal but Hart says his defensive work has been just as impressive and there had been games this season when he was in their top five for defensive acts such as tackles.
"We want him to play his natural offensive game but he has also bought into our defensive-first philosophy and has led the way in his ability to defend, tackle and do the harder parts of the game to get the footy back," Hart said.
TOP 10 RECRUITS OF THE SEASON
(Must have been on an AFL list in 2013)
1. JARED POLEC (Port Adelaide)
From: Brisbane
Games: 7
Disposals Ave: 24.1
Goals: 5
Has starred for the Power with run and carry and importantly hits the scoreboard as well. Getting to a stage where he may attract an opposition tag which frees up Port's other midfielders.
2. PAUL CHAPMAN (Essendon)
From: Geelong
Games: 6
Disposals Ave: 21.7
Goals: 10
Chappy has added spark and reliability to the Essendon fowardline with two four-goal hauls and continues to look as dangerous as ever. One of the Bombers' best players this season.
3. MATT WHITE (Port Adelaide)
From: Richmond
Games: 7
Disposals Ave: 16.3
Goals: 11
Has already equalled his best ever season on the scoreboard with 11 goals. Has shown scorching pace, poise with the footy and exceptional finishing skills.
4. BERNIE VINCE (Melbourne)
From: Adelaide
Games: 7
Disposals Ave: 23.7
Goals: 1
Brilliant start to the season, has added both grunt to the midfield and outside run for the Demons and showed a cool head during its biggest win over the year against the Crows - his old side.
5. NICK DAL SANTO (North Melbourne)
From: St Kilda
Games: 7
Disposals Ave: 26.6
Goals: 3
Had a quiet start which triggered calls for him to be dropped but he responded with two 30-plus possession games in the next three weeks including a starring role in the win over Port Adelaide.
6. SHANE MUMFORD (GWS)
From: Sydney
Games: 3
Disposals Ave: 13.7
Goals: 2
Might have only played three games before hurting his knee but averaged 50 hit-outs and GWS won two of their first three games. The Giants have lost every game since he's been out of the side.
7. DOM TYSON (Melbourne)
From: GWS
Games: 7
Disposals Ave: 23.1
Goals: 3
Is slowly but surely starting to justify why Melbourne was happy to give up Pick No.2 in last year's draft to get him. Is a strong body around the contest and knows how to find the footy.
8. STEWART CRAMERI (Western Bulldogs)
From: Essendon
Games: 7
Disposals Ave: 14
Goals: 14
Has taken steps towards providing the Bulldogs with the missing link in their forwardline with 14 goals, including bags of four against GWS and Carlton. Has gone goalless only once from seven games.
9. LANCE FRANKLIN (Sydney)
From: Hawthorn
Games: 6
Disposals Ave: 13.3
Goals: 12
The thing with Franklin is everyone expects miracles and rightly so because of the million-dollar price tag that came with him. But two four-goal games and match-winning performances against Adelaide and Fremantle is a good enough start.
10. HEATH SHAW (GWS)
From: Collingwood
Games: 6
Disposals Ave: 21.5
Goals: 0
Has provided good rebound off half back for the Giants but without quite capturing the top-end form he showed in 173 games at Collingwood.
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