It’s a massive plus for the Sydney Swans coaching panel to have a “weapon” like Aliir Aliir at its disposal on game day.

Those are the words of Swans defence coach Tadhg Kennelly after the big-framed Swan’s outstanding 2019 campaign.

“He was really consistent this year,” Kennelly told SwansTV.

“He has that big-man presence and gives the opposition a lot to think about. It’s a weapon we have in the coaches’ box the fact that you’ve got a bloke as big and as strong as Aliir.

“Opposition teams and opposition forwards are looking at this bloke going, ‘He’s a big, intimidating man. Where is he?’

“It’s really pleasing for Aliir that he can now take his game to another level. Who knows how high the ceiling is and how good a player Aliir can become?”

Aliir gathered an average of 15.7 possessions (6.5 contested) and 4.7 marks in season 2019.

The 2013 draftee was an important cog in Sydney’s back six but also played crucial roles in the ruck over the second half of the season.

Callum Sinclair didn’t feature after dislocating his shoulder in Round 15, and with Sam Naismith and Darcy Cameron unavailable the following week due to their own injury concerns, Aliir impressed in a battle with Essendon duo Zac Clarke and Shaun McKernan.

While the Kenyan-born Swan wasn’t dominant in the hit-out count, he was cat-like on the ground, raking in 17 touches (10 contested), eight clearances and eight inside 50s to top the round’s Bob Skilton Medal voting.

Over the remainder of the season, coach John Longmire would shift between Aliir, Sam Reid and first-year rookie Hayden McLean in the ruck.

Aliir credits his rock-solid campaign to a strong pre-season.

“I thought it was probably the most consistent season I’ve had since coming to the club,” Aliir told SwansTV.

“It was good I was able to have a consistent year and I guess it was off the back of having a good pre-season. I put in some good work in the pre-season and it really paid off.”