VETERAN recruit James Podsiadly insists he can improve at Adelaide and claims he’s not crossing the border just to fill in for the injured Taylor Walker.
The AFL says the former Geelong forward made his way to West Lakes last month after booting 169 goals for the Cats from 83 games which included the 2011 premiership.
With an exact date for Walker’s return from a knee reconstruction unknown and Josh Jenkins still recovering from ankle surgery, Podsiadly’s presence will be crucial to the Crows’ forward line for the early stages of the 2014 season.
“Whatever I’ve done over the last couple of years at Geelong, I want to be a better player at Adelaide,” Podsiadly told AFL.com.au
“I’ve got to go against the trend. I know physically and mentally I’m right, but just learning the game is where I think I can improve and take my game forward.
“I don’t know what a 32-year-old footballer is supposed to feel like, but from what I’ve been told I don’t feel like that.
“I’m not here to fill spots or fill numbers, I’m hopefully here to make an impact.”
Podsiadly said he was in good physical shape after the training session on Monday morning with Adelaide’s young players.
Coach Brenton Sanderson has previously said he expected the key forward’s workload to be reduced from 2013, after he played 23 games for the Cats this season.
Sanderson predicted Podsiadly could expect to notch up 20-25 games during his two-year deal.
But Podsiadly said he was capable of and preparing himself to play every game next year.
“The club could have a whole heap of injuries and if you’re not prepared to play 25 games after a pre-season you’re almost letting the team down.
“If it’s five, if it’s 10, if it’s 25 it doesn’t really affect me.
“I definitely wouldn’t have put my hand up and asked a club to give me a contract if I didn’t think I could play a full season.
“When the start of the season comes we play the NAB Challenge games, we’ll see where the side’s at and where my body’s at.”
As well as making an impact on the field, Podsiadly said he was looking forward to mentoring some of Adelaide’s young forwards.
The likes of Walker (22) Lewis Johnston (22), Tom Lynch (23) and Jenkins (24) all have years of football ahead of them and Podsiadly was confident he could further their games as well as his own.
“[I want to] help these young guys develop and teach them some of the stuff that I’ve learnt over the years.
“The group’s very talented and the key position players in particular are still quite raw… I’m here to help them improve.
“Watching [Walker] from afar, he’s only 22 and his talent and ability to change games as a key forward is unbelievable.
“After the guy has come back from an extensive rehab process, he’s going to be bigger, stronger and more powerful so it’s actually scary.”
