NEW Demon David Rodan says he feel revived and is champing at the bit to don the red and blue for the first time in 2013, after dealing with the disappointment of departing from Port Adelaide.
The livewire midfielder/forward said he was “excited about 2013” and what he could provide the Dees. And although he acknowledged there were areas of his game he still needed to improve, he added that he would “definitely try and bring what I’ve been doing for the last few years”.
“I’m rapt to get another opportunity,” he said at AAMI Park on Friday.
“I’m very happy that [coach] Mark Neeld, the coaching staff and the Melbourne Football Club had the confidence in me and wanted me at the club.
“It’s been great so far, the last couple of weeks, meeting the boys and the coaches.”
After playing 111 of his 176 AFL matches with Port Adelaide from 2007-12 (he also played 65 games with Richmond from 2002-06), Rodan said it was difficult to be told he was not part of the Power’s future.
“Things happen for a reason and Port Adelaide had a plan for the next four years and they didn’t see me in it, which was a bit disappointing,” he said.
“I’d have liked to have continued there, but I totally understand that and I’m just happy that I can just fit in with Melbourne’s mould. Hopefully in the near future, we’ll get some success.
“It was very hard times, but the way it’s played out, I’m glad I know what I’m doing at the moment and I know what I’m doing now. I can just focus towards this pre-season, get fit, train hard and look forward to the season coming.”
Rodan, who had a knee reconstruction at Richmond and underwent two bouts of LARS surgery at Port Adelaide, said he was confident his knees could continue to stand the rigours of the AFL.
“The knees are great. They felt really good in The Footy Show revue. They tested me a bit, but I felt good,” he said.
“As long as I do my leg weights, I feel pretty strong. That’s something I’ve looked at as well.
“I still feel really good. I feel as though I’ve got a few years left.”
The effervescent Rodan, who has wowed people with his dance moves in The Footy Show player revues, joked that being back in his native Victoria, meant that he was “closer to Tony Bartuccio”, the renowned Melbourne dance instructor.
“We’ll see if there are a few dance lessons during the week, if Mark Neeld lets me,” he said with a laugh.
“But I’ll stick to footy at the moment.”
The livewire midfielder/forward said he was “excited about 2013” and what he could provide the Dees. And although he acknowledged there were areas of his game he still needed to improve, he added that he would “definitely try and bring what I’ve been doing for the last few years”.
“I’m rapt to get another opportunity,” he said at AAMI Park on Friday.
“I’m very happy that [coach] Mark Neeld, the coaching staff and the Melbourne Football Club had the confidence in me and wanted me at the club.
“It’s been great so far, the last couple of weeks, meeting the boys and the coaches.”
After playing 111 of his 176 AFL matches with Port Adelaide from 2007-12 (he also played 65 games with Richmond from 2002-06), Rodan said it was difficult to be told he was not part of the Power’s future.
“Things happen for a reason and Port Adelaide had a plan for the next four years and they didn’t see me in it, which was a bit disappointing,” he said.
“I’d have liked to have continued there, but I totally understand that and I’m just happy that I can just fit in with Melbourne’s mould. Hopefully in the near future, we’ll get some success.
“It was very hard times, but the way it’s played out, I’m glad I know what I’m doing at the moment and I know what I’m doing now. I can just focus towards this pre-season, get fit, train hard and look forward to the season coming.”
Rodan, who had a knee reconstruction at Richmond and underwent two bouts of LARS surgery at Port Adelaide, said he was confident his knees could continue to stand the rigours of the AFL.
“The knees are great. They felt really good in The Footy Show revue. They tested me a bit, but I felt good,” he said.
“As long as I do my leg weights, I feel pretty strong. That’s something I’ve looked at as well.
“I still feel really good. I feel as though I’ve got a few years left.”
The effervescent Rodan, who has wowed people with his dance moves in The Footy Show player revues, joked that being back in his native Victoria, meant that he was “closer to Tony Bartuccio”, the renowned Melbourne dance instructor.
“We’ll see if there are a few dance lessons during the week, if Mark Neeld lets me,” he said with a laugh.
“But I’ll stick to footy at the moment.”
