JACK Watts has revealed former coach Paul Roos played a role in him choosing Port Adelaide as his preferred trade destination.
Watts joined the Power during last year’s player exchange period, but not before being courted by rival clubs including Geelong and the Sydney Swans.
Now settled at his new club, Watts said his one-time mentor — Roos coached Melbourne from 2014-16 — played a role in helping him decide where to restart his career.
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“I’ve stayed in pretty constant contact with Roosy … he actually sent me one of the nicest messages I’ve ever received the other day,” Watts said.
“He’s just a legend and leading into the decision I was actually speaking to him a fair bit.
“We were weighing up our options and I was sort of letting him know what was going on and he sort of thought the same as I did and thought Port Adelaide would be a great move.”
Speaking on SEN, Watts said it “probably would have made a lot more sense to stay in Victoria” but he “couldn’t fault” Port Adelaide.
Power coach Ken Hinkley was also a factor behind his decision to move interstate, the former no.1 draft pick hitting it off with the Port leader who himself re-signed to a longer-term deal with the club.
“Kenny is just so personable and it’s more about that relationship with the player than anything else,” Watts said.
“You work on that first and then the rest comes, the football will take care of itself.
“That’s what I really liked about Kenny.”
As for his new role at Port, Watts said he was settling into the Power forward line and ready to “play my role”, helping deliver the footy to the likes of Charlie Dixon and Robbie Gray.
And he’s quickly warmed to his new teammates in the change rooms at Alberton.
“Early on you sort of suss out the cheeky ones, the fun ones — I’ll usually try to sort of nestle in there somewhere — so that’s like the Sammy Grays, the Dougal Howards, Ollie Wines,” he said.
“He (Wines) sort of blew me away, I thought he was going to be a bit of a stiff, but he’s just a legend and has a good time and then works super hard out on the track.
“I think that’s what sort of captured me about the group, they’re all so welcoming and friendly.”
