FORMER Horsham Demon Jake Lloyd is determined to maintain the high standard he set for himself during his breakout season for the Sydney Swans.
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Lloyd is coming off his strongest season yet for the AFL team, where he finished runner-up to star forward Lance Franklin in the club’s 2017 best and fairest.
Lloyd said the challenge for this year would be to build on this.
“Obviously I had my best year last year and the challenge for me is to go one step further,” he said.
“Where I was last year is my base level now. That’s where people see me play at, and the challenge is for me to continue at that level or get better.”
Lloyd wants to cement his position in the competition’s elite. He said doing that would come down to consistency.
“The best players in the competition play well week in, week out and that’s where I want to get to. I look forward to doing that this year,” he said.
Lloyd – coming into his sixth season at the Swans – said he was enjoying being able to help out some of the younger guys.
“Leadership isn’t something you talk about, it’s just where my game is heading,” he said.
The best players in the competition play well week in, week out and that’s where I want to get to.
- Jake Lloyd
“Last year I took a big step in that direction in being able to teach the younger guys around the club. It’s not something I try to put my hand up for – it’s about focusing on playing good footy first and that will take care of itself.”
After making the finals in 2017, the Swans started pre-season training later than usual, and completed a short training block before Christmas.
“Pre-season has been good – we had a solid three-week stint before Christmas to give us a bit more of a fitness base before we get back into it again,” Lloyd said.
The Swans had a tough start to the 2017 season, losing their first six games before a remarkable run of wins put them into sixth spot. They won their elimination final against Essendon before being thrashed by Geelong in the semis.
Lloyd said the team could not afford to slip up at the start of the season again.
“We all know what happened and we learnt from that as the year went on,” he said.
“It’s crucial we start the year well and get ourselves ready for round one.”
