HE faces the arduous task of putting on 10kg before being physically ready to handle the rigours of AFL football but Port Adelaide recruit Jasper McMillan-Pittard

McMillan-Pittard, 18, was identified as a long-term project when he was snapped up by the Power with pick No.16 in last week's NAB AFL Draft.

The dashing left-footer enjoyed a stellar season across half-back with the Geelong Falcons in the TAC Cup, but he said it was playing for local club Torquay that convinced him his slight 70kg frame could hold up at senior level.

"Last year I played the majority of the season with Torquay and I think that really held me in good stead for this year," McMillan-Pittard said on Monday.

"Knowing how slight I was, I didn't want to focus on my weight. I wanted to focus on my speed and my endurance and that's how I was able to play at senior level.

"It's going to be different at SANFL and AFL level because the bodies are far bigger than in the senior competition I've played in, but I feel I can take the body contact and it's not too much of a big deal for me."

The skinny teenager will enter phase one of his weight-gain program with the Power later this week.

Since joining the club last year, fitness coach Cam Falloon has helped Port Adelaide players bulk up, but McMillan-Pittard said he was realistic about how long it would take for him to reach his goal weight of 82kg.

"I'm pretty slight and light-framed and I know that. I was advised of it this year and I know, going into an AFL club, it's going to be a lot of work to build up to a size to be playing regular football," he said.

"I'm just really here to learn and do as much as I can in the first couple of years that I'm here. I want to embrace it all and get to the right shape. I've got no problems with that side of things even if it takes a while."

The baby-faced teenager rocketed into first-round contention after impressing prospective clubs with his demeanour and game-specific knowledge in the draft camp interviews.

Sydney Swans coach Paul Roos joked about offering McMillan-Pittard an assistant coaching role, but the Vic Country representative said he would refrain from offering new coach Mark Williams any on-field advice - at least for the time being.

"I think we'll leave it at the playing career at the moment. I don't know. It looks pretty stressful being a coach," he said.

"I think I've got a few years left in my legs. I've never thought about coaching. Maybe when my career's over I'll look into it."

The charismatic draftee, who joked he could "talk under water", appeared at ease during his first press conference since arriving in Adelaide on Sunday afternoon.

He was also unfazed when quizzed about the trouble his hyphenated surname would cause football commentators in the years to come.

"It's a long one, my name, and it's been a bit of a talking point. I heard the commentators call it in one of the games they telecast when I played for Vic Country and it flowed not too bad, but it might be a bit of a handful sometimes."