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Daniel Motlop has been a barometer for the Power

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LATE IN 2005 Daniel Motlop arrived on the doorstep at Alberton 10kg overweight and unable to train as he recovered from hamstring surgery.

Motlop had sought a trade to Port Adelaide from the Kangaroos where he managed just 47 games in five years and felt overwhelmingly homesick after brother, Shannon, was delisted.

The former first-round draft pick's potential was undeniable, but his ability to stay fit and perform on a consistent basis was yet to be seen.

Power coach Mark Williams, buoyed by the success of his indigenous players in the 2004 premiership, saw Motlop as a rare talent and took a chance on the then-22-year-old.

"The coaches showed a lot of faith in getting me over here to Port," Motlop said.

"Choco [Mark Williams] stuck by me and knew what was going on in my life, so he's been real good to me. It's probably been the move of my life coming back to Adelaide and I call this place home now."

The self-confessed "late developer" made an unconvincing start in the first season with his new club.

Motlop struggled with his limited pre-season and after three goalless weeks with the Power was sent back for a stint with SANFL club North Adelaide.

The clever forward fought his way back into the Port Adelaide line-up, but almost wished he hadn't after his infamous sprayed shot on goal against St Kilda in Launceston.

Motlop took a strong mark and had a chance to claim victory and keep his side's slim finals hopes alive with a kick after the siren.

"I wasn't really that confident going into the St Kilda game and it showed," Motlop recalled.

"I struggled with that [behind] for a while because I didn't play again after that. I had a shoulder reconstruction the next week, so it was the last thing I did for the season and I had to think about if a fair bit."

The Port Adelaide livewire carried the burden of that single kick for 10 months until he exorcised his demons with the match-winning goal against Melbourne in round six of this year.

"That goal against Melbourne sort of settled things down a bit," he said.

"But it's still hard to watch [the kick against St Kilda] because you start thinking what could have been."

With the emotional weight of that day in Tasmania lifted and a slight change to his goal kicking routine, Motlop starred for the Power in 2007 with his best season so far.

The former Kangaroo almost doubled his career goal tally by booting 44 this season despite missing six games through injury.

Motlop's form has been so impressive teammate Chad Cornes has labelled him the "barometer" of Port Adelaide.

"Motts' performances in big games over the past two weeks have been awesome. He's really the barometer of the side for me," Cornes said.

"When he's doing all that chasing and tackling in the forward line it really gets the boys going. Those things are more important than taking big marks and kicking spectacular goals, which he does too."

Motlop, now 25, played his first ever final when the Power took on West Coast three weeks ago and on Saturday will line-up in the AFL grand final.

The enigmatic forward held the mantle as one of the league's most accurate and, also most freakish, goalkickers earlier this season, but Motlop wasn't sure he'd like the pressure of a shot on goal after the siren this week.

"Yeah, maybe. I don't want it, but if I get it [the shot on goal] I'll take it," Motlop laughed.