Port Adelaide defender Jasper Pittard says a new-found balance led to his nomination for the AFL's Rising Star award.

Pittard was nominated for the gong after a stand-out performance in Port's breakthrough win over Adelaide last Saturday night.

The smooth-moving half-back collected 23 disposals and was a creative weapon in Port's first victory of the season.

"The first two rounds and the pre-season I really focused on the defensive side of my game," Pittard said on Tuesday.

"It was something that I was lacking coming into the club and over the last year.

"... I felt maybe in the first two rounds I was a bit overly defensive and not really trying to attack as much.

"So it has been about just getting that balance now and I think probably in the last two games I have found that balance a little bit better."

The 20-year-old left-footer has won admirers for incisive kicking in his four AFL games.

"It's something that every player needs to work on all the time, obviously the aim of the game is to get as many kicks as you can," said Pittard, drafted by the Power with pick number 16 in the 2009 draft.

"But I think at times I have probably lacked confidence in my kick.

"But since this pre-season, the boys in the backline and the coaches have really just tried to instil a lot of confidence in myself and everyone seems to be happy to give me the ball, which gives you confidence."

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