blackdiamond
19 May 2003, 14:29
courtesy of www.portadelaidefc.com.au
Old and new mates help Byron
http://portadelaidefc.com.au/cp2/c2/webi/article/092806af.jpg
Encouragement from past and present team-mates helped Byron Pickett rediscover some of his old magic and be a valuable contributor for Port Adelaide against the Kangaroos at AAMI Stadium on Saturday.
And the warm response of those team-mates revealed the respect they had for him, particularly when he needed support because his future as an AFL player was being queried by some sections of the media after he had not done justice to his special talents during his settling-in period with the Power after 120 games with the Kangaroos over the past six years.
“Choppy’s” revival started when the Port players insisted he lead them out on Saturday, and they rushed to him when he kicked the game’s first goal at the five-minute mark of the first quarter.
It continued with similar enthusiasm each time he burst into the action and did something effective, such as a knock-on or a pass or kick two more goals.
And the night ended somewhat emotionally with Pickett receiving on-field congratulations and hugs from Port and Kangaroos players.
“Personally, I thought I stepped up a little bit,” he said later – and quietly – at his first media conference for the year. “Obviously I had to, and to play good against the Kangaroos gives me some extra confidence in myself.
“I certainly appreciated the support of the coaches, not just ‘Choco’ (Williams) but the other coaches – they all stuck with me because they know if I play to my potential, I can really play good footy.
“I coped with it all right. I got a bit of help from the boys – Nick Stevens and obviously Che (****atoo-Collins) and Peter and Shaun (Burgoyne) helped me out and Stuey Cochrane as well.
“I’ve dealt with it before. I think I handled it pretty well. Some of the comments … I haven’t been buying the newspaper the last couple of weeks so that’s worked.
“I’ve got my mum and dad over for the game (Christine and Byron senior from Port Lincoln).”
Pickett described the after-match reaction of the Kangaroos as “good mateship”.
“Anthony Stevens is one of the best blokes I’ve ever played footy with,” he said of Stevens being the first former team-mate to speak to him and hug him. “I was there (with the Roos) for six years. He’s been a great mate, not only a great leader.
“He actually gave me a call a couple of weeks ago – he and Glenn (Archer) – and just told me: ‘We all know how good you can play.’ So that helps as well.
“After the game he just asked me how my two girls were and I asked how his kids were. It was just like old times. He said: ‘Just keep doing all the hard things. You’re getting back to the form we know you can play’.”
Pickett said he thought Warren Tredrea and Nick Stevens had instigated his leading the Port team on to the ground.
“It was different,” he said. “I’m just happy to be a part of the club to beat North Melbourne for the first time – to be a part of that is something special and obviously to beat them first-up – my first game against them – is good.
“The first goal was a big booster. I didn’t know what I was doing when I bounced it. I thought it would bounce straight up but it was a little bit wet and slippery.
“I’ll have another good week on the track – do everything I can do physically and just do everything right and hopefully come up again next week.
“I think some of the boys told me: ‘Don’t worry about doing all the bumps and that. Just go out there and do what we know you can do.”
Old and new mates help Byron
http://portadelaidefc.com.au/cp2/c2/webi/article/092806af.jpg
Encouragement from past and present team-mates helped Byron Pickett rediscover some of his old magic and be a valuable contributor for Port Adelaide against the Kangaroos at AAMI Stadium on Saturday.
And the warm response of those team-mates revealed the respect they had for him, particularly when he needed support because his future as an AFL player was being queried by some sections of the media after he had not done justice to his special talents during his settling-in period with the Power after 120 games with the Kangaroos over the past six years.
“Choppy’s” revival started when the Port players insisted he lead them out on Saturday, and they rushed to him when he kicked the game’s first goal at the five-minute mark of the first quarter.
It continued with similar enthusiasm each time he burst into the action and did something effective, such as a knock-on or a pass or kick two more goals.
And the night ended somewhat emotionally with Pickett receiving on-field congratulations and hugs from Port and Kangaroos players.
“Personally, I thought I stepped up a little bit,” he said later – and quietly – at his first media conference for the year. “Obviously I had to, and to play good against the Kangaroos gives me some extra confidence in myself.
“I certainly appreciated the support of the coaches, not just ‘Choco’ (Williams) but the other coaches – they all stuck with me because they know if I play to my potential, I can really play good footy.
“I coped with it all right. I got a bit of help from the boys – Nick Stevens and obviously Che (****atoo-Collins) and Peter and Shaun (Burgoyne) helped me out and Stuey Cochrane as well.
“I’ve dealt with it before. I think I handled it pretty well. Some of the comments … I haven’t been buying the newspaper the last couple of weeks so that’s worked.
“I’ve got my mum and dad over for the game (Christine and Byron senior from Port Lincoln).”
Pickett described the after-match reaction of the Kangaroos as “good mateship”.
“Anthony Stevens is one of the best blokes I’ve ever played footy with,” he said of Stevens being the first former team-mate to speak to him and hug him. “I was there (with the Roos) for six years. He’s been a great mate, not only a great leader.
“He actually gave me a call a couple of weeks ago – he and Glenn (Archer) – and just told me: ‘We all know how good you can play.’ So that helps as well.
“After the game he just asked me how my two girls were and I asked how his kids were. It was just like old times. He said: ‘Just keep doing all the hard things. You’re getting back to the form we know you can play’.”
Pickett said he thought Warren Tredrea and Nick Stevens had instigated his leading the Port team on to the ground.
“It was different,” he said. “I’m just happy to be a part of the club to beat North Melbourne for the first time – to be a part of that is something special and obviously to beat them first-up – my first game against them – is good.
“The first goal was a big booster. I didn’t know what I was doing when I bounced it. I thought it would bounce straight up but it was a little bit wet and slippery.
“I’ll have another good week on the track – do everything I can do physically and just do everything right and hopefully come up again next week.
“I think some of the boys told me: ‘Don’t worry about doing all the bumps and that. Just go out there and do what we know you can do.”