Port Adelaide ace Robbie Gray says wrecking a knee saved his AFL career.

Gray believes he wouldn’t have won this season’s AFL Coaches Association’s champion player award if not for his 2012 injury.

Gray says having his right knee reconstructed forced him to reassess his football career during a 12-month lay-off.

“Having that time off, I probably learnt a fair bit about myself,” Gray told reporters on Wednesday.

“I changed a few things, the way I went about footy, so I think that certainly helped.

“I certainly prepare better now than I used to now … more diligent with my work during the week, in the gym, out on the track and little things like diet.

“I had been playing for six or seven years at that stage and had a fair few issues with my body.

“And when you have a year out of the game, you start to realise it (a playing career) goes pretty quick.”

Gray holds an unassailable lead in the coveted coaches’ award with one round remaining, seven votes clear of suspended Fremantle midfielder Nat Fyfe.

Port travel to Perth to play the Dockers on Saturday, with the winner to claim fourth spot and a precious double chance in the finals.

Gray was curiously banned by his coach Ken Hinkley from talking about the looming fixture against the Dockers.

Hinkley instead ordered Gray to only talk about winning an award which the Power spark was awarded for his most consistent season – but paled with Port’s objective of a premiership.

“Individual awards are nice but the reason you play footy is for that ultimate team success,” Gray said.

Gray worked as a meat packer in his native Melbourne when plucked by Port with pick 55 in the 2006 national draft – a selection among the all-time draft steals.

His playing style and uncanny evasive skills earn comparisons to Gold Coast great Gary Ablett, a three-time winner of the coaches’ award, but Gray takes scant notice of such talk.

“I do hear it. And it’s something I don’t really think about to be honest,” he said.

“It’s something that gets spoken about outside (the club) but internally it’s not spoken about, it’s something I don’t think about at all.”