It’s a scary thought for the opposition given that Jetta, who was the recipient of the Swans Most Improved Player award in 2012, produced a career-best season last year, kicking 45 goals and narrowly missing out on All-Australian selection.
While 2012 was a break-out season for the 23-year-old, Jetta told SwansTV that he is confident he is on track to improve again in 2013.
“I’ve come back even fitter and am running really well and am feeling really good, so I’m just in good shape,” Jetta told SwansTV.
“We had a really short pre-season … and I’m just loving it at the moment.
“I’m injury free and my body is feeling pretty good and I’m just happy to be back and training with all the boys.”
Last year, Jetta teamed up with Kieren Jack in the pre-season to improve his running capacity and while his goals are the same this year, he now feels he has enough self-motivation to set the standard on his own this pre-season.
“My goals this year are pretty much the same (as last year),” he said.
“I just have to … stay on the oval for longer and just really work as hard as I can.
“I still have a lot of little things I need to work on, so those are the things I’m going to work on this pre-season and I’m going to try and come out bigger and better.
“I just want to come out and pretty much be a better player this year.”
Jetta is not the only young Swan showing signs of improvement in this year’s pre-season training program.
According to Jetta, young midfielder Jed Lamb, defender Alex Johnson and rookie Dane Rampe are leading the way.
“Jed Lamb is a young guy who has come back in pretty good form and also ‘AJ’ (Alex Johnson) and some of the new guys like ‘Ramper’ (Dane Rampe), he’s running pretty good as well,” he said.
“(Rampe) is pushing Dan Hannebery and AJ for top spots in the running, so that’s good to see.”
Jetta believes that there will be a fight for spots in 2013, adding that winning the premiership served as the perfect motivation for the players to return to the club in top shape ahead of the 2013 season.
“It was amazing to win a premiership, but it is even more amazing to see how well the boys came back,” he said.
“Everyone is running really well and I think we’re all pretty hungry for another premiership.”
On the rise: Lewis Jetta
At a glance: Drafted with the 14th selection in the 2009 NAB AFL Draft, Jetta became renowned the following year for kicking 19 straight behinds before finally registering his first AFL goal against Hawthorn in round 19. He then made 20 appearances the following year but was a regular substitute and failed to make the team during that year's finals series. But in 2012 he made an extraordinary transformation, leading the club with 45 goals for the year, and was widely considered unlucky to miss out on All Australian selection. With his scintillating pace, he proved a nightmare match-up for opposition sides and was a vital cog in the Swans' premiership-winning machine.
Plays like: There are very few players who can match Jetta's skill set. Those such as Essendon great Michael Long were blessed with similar pace, but the Sydney Swan is a unique talent. Jetta manages to appear like he's barely putting in his top effort when on the run, yet he manages to keep a seemingly perpetual two-metre gap to whoever has the unfortunate task of trying to pursue him.
Killer quality: Clearly, his pace. Over his short time in the AFL, there is yet to be a player that has shown an ability to chase down the fleet-footed Swan. This was perhaps best illustrated in the 2012 Grand Final, when Hawthorn's Cyril Rioli put in a forlorn chase as Jetta galloped down the wing at the MCG.
Best performance: Recognised across the competition for his pace and agility, Jetta wasn't regarded as any sort of ball magnet. But against Adelaide in round six, he showed just how dangerous he can be. Garnering a career-high 27 disposals, Jetta was unstoppable as he tore the Crows to shreds at the SCG. Throw in seven marks, four tackles, two goals and even four free kicks in his favour and the youngster put in his most complete performance of the season.
What they say: "He has taken his consistency to another level. In some of the average games, he has still been able to contribute either by pressure acts or kicking goals. He now has the confidence to play real good, strong, hard, two-way football and gives us areal spark and bite. He has certainly improved. We are pleased at what he has been able to do. It has been a huge jump.'' - Swans coach John Longmire.
Stats that matter:
1st in goals (45.17)
7th in total kicks (278 @ 11.1 per game)
7th in total marks (84 @ 3.4 per game)
9th in Dream Team average (74.9 per game)
12th in total tackles (69 @ 2.8 per game)
- with James Dampney
