Port Adelaide safeguard Tom Clurey has lifted the cover on the ‘intellectually difficult’ battle brought about by a herniated circle in his back and the slow time of year that nearly saw him leave the Power. Clurey’s 2023 season was stopped by mid-May, with a pre-game back objection in the SANFL in the long run prompting a medical procedure after a protruding plate was found to bring on additional worries. The burden added to a disappointing not many years for Clurey, who had gone through jaw and knee medical procedures over late seasons to last get past a full pre-season in 2021. His most recent spell uninvolved caused significant damage intellectually, with Clurey conceding he battled to remain positive around the club while managing his recuperation. “It was a difficult year, by and by. Disappointing, and practically everything turned out badly,” Clurey told Zero Holder. “At the point when I hurt my back, it was only in the get ready for a SANFL game. I was simply getting a ground ball and my back sort of rugged and it recently continued to deteriorate from that point. I had a protruding circle and rested for five to about a month and a half off the exhortation I got from the specialist. “Then we re-filtered it and the circle had really herniated, which implied it was a medical procedure time. I wasn’t anticipating that it should be a full-season thing. “Intellectually it was surely a test. After I had the medical procedure it was a portion of a year knowing you won’t have any part in it. In any case, you must attempt to be positive around the gathering, come in grinning with a decent disposition and control what you have some control over basically.” Chats with mentor Ken Hinkley and worries over his body prompted conversations over a possible takeoff from Alberton Oval following 11 years, in spite of Clurey being contracted with the Power for the rest of 2025. Port Adelaide could never have sat in the method of a move for Clurey, with all gatherings consenting to head out in a different direction on the off chance that a deal eventuated. Be that as it may, none would. Presently back at the club subsequent to weighing up his future somewhere else, the key position protector stays headed to assist the club with arriving at the top and accepts the next few years under Hinkley may be the most advantageous to do as such. “There were a few discussions had around the questions of my body and future and all of that, yet nothing eventuated during the exchange time frame. I’m glad to in any case be here, I’ve been here a genuinely prolonged stretch of time now,” Clurey uncovered. “We most certainly investigated choices, and the club maintained that me should investigate my choices. There were talks through that period, it was somewhat of an insane period truly as I’ve never sort of experienced that. There was a piece occurring yet nothing eventuated, and I’m glad to be here in my twelfth year. “Getting my body right is my No.1 center. I’ve placed myself in a decent spot right now. It is exceptionally energizing at the club, to see a portion of the more youthful players that have come through, over the course of the following two or three years, and afterward the following five years, there’s a major future here. So I’m quick to stick around and I need to be essential for each moment of it.” In his undertakings to capitalize on himself before long, Clurey has taken the action to a wing job over the mid year following further discussions with his mentor. The slow time of year appearances of Esava Ratugolea and Brandon Zerk-Thatcher have put a crush on the vital protective spots under Hinkley, allowing Clurey an opportunity to renew his vocation with another job possibly. Hoping to use his running limit and ball development in another position, the veteran protector has been left energized by the change in front of his twelfth season with the Power. “Clearly we enrolled two or three key safeguards, so there’s more strain there. Kenny expressed that there’s potentially an opening on the wing, with my assets, that might actually suit me,” Clurey said. “I had pondered it a tad moreover. So it sort of paired up I assume. I’ve been adoring it, actually advancing yet extremely energized. I believe there’s a decent open door there for myself. “I can carry something to that job, with my assets being running and utilizing the ball. I’m extremely sure and hopeful, and am anticipating this year. I’m simply quick to stall out into games. “Throughout the previous 11 years I’ve just been preparing at full-back. So it’s certainly an alternate look, yet I’ve adjusted okay and I can ideally continue to fill around there.” Set to challenge Miles Bergman Travis Boak, Willem Drew and Jase Burgoyne for a spot on the wing, Clurey isn’t adopting a patient strategy in that frame of mind to get back to the senior side. Having worked his direction back from a progression of misfortunes, the Katamatite junior is having a special interest as a name fans shouldn’t neglect. “I would rather not stay here and simply stand by in line and trust I get a call-up. I need to push my case, I need to acquire my spot and get into the group to play predictable AFL footy,” he said. “That is my drive, that is my inspiration. Particularly having played AFL for such countless years, then having the wounds and playing SANFL games. “So my energy and drive to play AFL is 100 percent still there, and I want to in any case add to the group.”