JACKSON Mead is set to play a new role at Port Adelaide in 2026, with the 24-year-old shifting into defence early in Josh Carr's tenure as head coach.
Mead, a father-son selection in the 2019 draft, has played most of his 64 AFL games as a midfielder or forward, but has been training at half-back this pre-season.
The move could allow the likes of Miles Bergman and skipper Connor Rozee to spend more time in the midfield in 2026, although Rozee has also been training in defence over summer.
Mead spent some time at half-back late last season and says he's relished the chance to continue to develop in that role heading into another campaign.
"We sort of posed a question in my exit meeting last year; I have been playing as a midfielder for the last six years, training there, and always game day ... ended up on a wing or half forward. So, we just asked the question, how can I better use my time and either train fully as a wing or how about playing half back?," Mead said on Monday.
"I feel like ... I've got good traits where I can slot in there and add to the team.
"We've got a good group down there to learn from. We've got Kane Farrell and Connor Rozee, who are exceptional high half backs. So a lot of good characters to learn from there. I feel like I can slot in nicely and add to the team.
"I played probably the last two and a half games (in defence), so I was able to finish the year there, which added to the end of season convo that we had.
"(There is) obviously an emphasis on contest so I really thrive on that. And obviously using my skills and probably going at the game a bit more, I think it helps me just to be a bit more direct and get the ball moving forward rather than sideways."
The Power ranked 16th for contested possessions in 2025 and conceded the most average contested possessions of any team, with Mead conceding his side got "bullied" at times last year.
With Carr now at the helm after the departure of Ken Hinkley, Mead says a key focus in the off-season has been strength work in the gym in order to reverse the contested ball stats of last year.
"There's been a bit of an emphasis to get bigger and stronger as a whole group," he said.
"In the contest, we got bullied a little bit last year and probably the last few years.
"So it was an emphasis for the whole group to attack the gym and really get after it."
The Power will ramp up their 2026 campaign with an unofficial match simulation against Adelaide at Alberton on February 20 before they play West Coast in Perth in the AAMI Community Series on March 1.
Their first game of the premiership season will come against North Melbourne on Sunday, March 15.