Newest Port Adelaide signing backed to make the most of opportunity

Norwood product Balyn O'Brien's athleticism and team-first mindset has been lauded following his listing at Port Adelaide.

O'Brien, signed by the Power yesterday via the SSP, played six senior games in defence under coach Jade Sheedy as well as helping South Australia win the U18s National Championships in 2025. 

"He fit in well with the six defenders we had and he's very flexible - he can play on smalls, he can play on talls, he's fast, has good agility," Sheedy told Zero Hanger.

"He gave us good flexibility. He's very diligent with his role and he's the sort of player you want on your team. He had some good moments in some finals which showed he was at the level. I think he's known to be more of a lockdown through the state footy but he's got good speed and closes space well so I think he can develop (his rebounding).

"He's got good aerial presence, he can jump and is quite springy, so he has a lot of good attributes to keep developing at Port Adelaide."

Underlining his gritty, defend-first mindset, O'Brien averaged just seven disposals and three marks at the U18s National Championships but consistently nullified his direct opponent.

The Eyre Peninsula local locked down SANFL veteran Luke Reynolds in Norwood's preliminary final clash with Glenelg.

His selection in all three of the club's league finals games highlighted the trust Sheedy had in him to comply with his role, which the coach expects to translate to the top level.

"Luke has the ability to get up and down the ground, is good aerially and runs hard so that's the type of matchup Balyn has proven he can go with so that will hold him in good stead for what's next," Sheedy added.

"He's very reliable at training and in drills and has a great attitude and is an excellent teammate.

"Quite often he's willing to sacrifice himself for the team - looking at his time with the state program, he was happy to not get much of the footy but play a role on the opposition's best forward so he's got the personality to keep fronting up. That selflessness means people love playing with him."

National Recruiting Manager Jason Cripps offered an insight into what lured Port Adelaide to add him to the rookie list.

“He has sound defensive instincts and proved himself as being hard to play on. He has the size and athleticism to allow him to defend a variety of types and showed his strength in the air,” Cripps said on Monday. 

Fellow SSP signing Mitch Zadow will strengthen Port Adelaide's backline, impressing for East Fremantle with his clean skills and work rate.

Overlooked SSP aspirant Jaidyn Stephenson shared a message for the pair on his Instagram story: "Massive congratulations to these two great people. Looking forward to watching you both flourish."

Former Geelong player Ted Clohesy and North Adelaide teenager Blake Oudshoorn-Bennier also trialed across summer.