New Port Adelaide ace Jared Polec struggles in first hitout with new club Recruit Jared Polec joins Port Adelaide pre-season training at North Adelaide. Picture: Sam Wundke Source: News Limited Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley has put the blowtorch on ace recruit Jared Polec after a poor first-day running display with his new club. The midfield speedster finished the Power's opening 3km time-trial in the middle of the pack and a long way behind veteran Kane Cornes and a host of bigger-bodied young players. Hinkley excused Polec to some degree, saying he had been affected by a bout of tonsillitis. But he also let him know more was expected of him after he failed to hit the ground running following his high-profile move from the Brisbane Lions. Hinkley spoke to the 16-gamer after his run and told him he had some ground to make up. He's been crook. He's coming from a way back and has actually had tonsillitis for the last week, so we knew he was going to be a little down," Hinkley said. We weren't actually sure he was going to be able to run this morning, so I'm pleased he got out there and was able to. But he's not excused, that's not the word I'd use. We understand he was a little bit down on the running time that he would like to get and I'm sure that will get better. I wanted to make sure he understands that there's a level you have to get to early and, look, he knows that. We're lucky - he's working with (Port's fitness coach) Darren Burgess - and we expect him to improve quite quickly. Hinkley said while Polec was an enormous talent it could take time for him to show why he was selected by the Lions at pick five from Woodville-West Torrens at the 2005 national draft. He said he would try to hose down expectations of Polec early next season despite the Power investing heavily in him and swapping draft picks, including moving down from pick 14 to 21, to secure him. "He's a young player and hasn't had much continuity at all in his training, his playing and his games," Hinkley said. I don't want to put too much expectation on him other than to say we brought him to the club with the idea that he would improve our list and we know that will be the case. We've got to now give him the grounding to allow him to do that. Hopefully he gets a little bit of continuity at training and has a really strong pre-season because I know from history that you've got to have a great pre-season if you're going to have a good season, so that's exactly what he needs. He's got a massive upside but we've still got to get that out of him. Cornes - the only veteran to attend the time-trial for one-to-four-year players - was a clear winner, beating second-year utility Kane Mitchell by 50m. Sam Colquhoun and key defender Tom Clurey also ran well. Port's session included three players it is trialling for national draft and rookie spots - ex-Carlton utility Frazer Dale and young Port Magpies Sam Gray, Daniel Kulikowski and Aseri Raikiwasa.