Portland expected to regain ruckman Ben Malcolm for 2019 Hampden league season

Former Hampden interleague ruckman Ben Malcolm is expected to return to the Tigers’ best 21 after overcoming knee issues.

First-year Portland coach Tom Sharp said Malcolm, who was also restricted to 13 matches in 2017, was firing on the training track.

“He’s been training the house down. He’s really committed, it’s good to see,” he said.

“He does all the one percenters, he’s in the ice baths and is just looking after himself at training.

“He’ll be really good this year if he keeps tracking the way he’s going. He’d be huge to have back, so we’re doing all we can to make sure his body is right.”

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Sharp, who has replaced Tasmanian-bound Luke Crane in the Tigers’ top job, is content with their additions.

Portland has welcomed former VFL and SANFL key defender Jake Wilson as an assistant coach and key position veteran Daniel Sturzaker, fresh from a premiership with Bellarine club Modewarre, in the off-season.

Both players are returning to their home club.

“We’re pretty settled but we’re always on the lookout and we might be able to sneak another sign-on at this time of year,” Sharp said of the Tigers’ focus.

“But we’re really happy with the way we’ve recruited this year and I feel like we can be really competitive with the side we’ve got, we’ve just got to work out a game style and strategy which suits our players.”

Sharp, who returned to Portland in 2018, has embraced the coaching challenge.

“I am loving it to be honest, it’s what I wanted to do,” he said. “It has its challenges but it’s been pretty cruisy so far and I have a really good support crew behind me.

“Everyone is helping out, playing their role I guess, the old cliche, but when everyone sticks to their role it all works smoothly.”

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