LIAM DURKIN
FOOTBALL
By LIAM DURKIN
MOE footballer Sam Skinner has been thrown a lifeline by Port Adelaide, with the Power signing him as a delisted free agent.
Skinner played three games in five seasons with the Brisbane Lions from 2016 to 2020, but was cursed with injury, undergoing two knee reconstructions.
He trained with North Melbourne ahead of the 2021 season after being let go by Brisbane, but was unable to gain a place on the Kangaroos list.
Not to be defeated, he moved to South Australia to play with South Adelaide and shone in this years SANFL competition.
A semi-final performance that netted 11 intercept marks caught the attention of many, and he now finds himself at Port Adelaide.
“It means everything to get this chance. My partner and I moved to Adelaide to play in the SANFL to try and get another crack at it,” Skinner said.
“It was a big thing to pack our things up and move across after South Adelaide gave me a chance, so it means the world to both of us and my family to get that call today that Port Adelaide is willing to give me a chance.
“When I finished up at Brisbane, I felt like I still had a lot to give and I aspired to get back on an AFL list so to get an opportunity to do that, I’m just really keen to get cracking.”
The Power has a strong connection to Gippsland footballers, with Foster’s Xavier Duursma currently on the list, while former Port Adelaide players from Gippsland include John Butcher (Maffra), Danny Butcher (Maffra) and Don Webb (Warragul).
Skinner is the son of Craig Skinner, who was recently announced as the new senior coach of Newborough Football-Netball Club.
Skinner played one senior game for Moe before being taken at pick 47 in the 2015 national draft.
