Emerging Sydney ruckman Sam Naismith can achieve one of his 2017 AFL season goals as soon as this weekend's opening round.
Naismith enjoyed a breakout season last year, adding the Swans' last 12 games of the campaign to his only previous senior appearance back in 2014.
Capitalising on injuries to Kurt Tippett and and Callum Sinclair, the 206cm Naismith held his spot through the finals campaign.
Playing in round one might seem a rather modest goal for someone whose last appearance was in a grand final, but Naismith didn't manage it in any of his first thee seasons, when he was either injured or learning his craft in the NEAFL.
He has invariably had to wait till late in the season for an opportunity.
Naismith's senior debut was in the final round of the 2014 season, he didn't play a senior game in 2015 and had to wait until round 16 last year for his first top-flight match.
"My plan this year is to hopefully play round one, I've never been able to do that and hopefully I can tick this off this week," Naismith told AAP.
"I've been injured pretty much every year, so it's been a frustrating run with injuries, but I got on top of everything last year and found some form
"I haven't really had a very big pre-season since I've been here."
That trend continued with the 24-year-old big man undergoing a shoulder reconstruction, but he proved his fitness by playing in Sydney's last two pre-season games.
He spent much of the off-season in rehab work with forward Lance Franklin, who also had shoulder surgery.
Asked if Buddy had given him any advice on what to do when he goes forward, Naismith quipped: "He tells me how to kick goals and I tell him how to win a hitout."
Naismth said he loved the decision to ban the third man up, with only nominated ruckmen allowed to contest a throw-in or ball-up.
"I don't think any ruckman in the competition loves someone coming in and sticking a knee in their ribs trying to steal their hitout," Naismith said.
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