Sam Reid hopes a strong pre-season and continuity can bring one of the competition’s most formidable forward combinations back together in season 2016.
Used both forward and back this year, Reid will rediscover his roots during the off-season and train solely as a forward with the aim of reforming what’s hopefully a potent partnership with Lance Franklin and Kurt Tippett.
The 24-year-old became senior coach John Longmire’s key swingman for most of last season, playing predominately behind the footy with great effect in the first half before – through necessity – becoming the Swans’ sole stay-at-home forward during the closing rounds.
Reid said while he’ll always answer the call when needed, this pre-season will be all about looking forward.
“Being the swingman is probably something that’ll always be there, I’m fine with that,” he said.
“LRT (Lewis Roberts-Thomson) was a great example of just how effective that can be and most clubs do have one or two guys they can throw at either end or on the wing just to have a different look at times.
“I’m always open to that but this pre-season I’ll be treated as a forward, I’ll train as a forward and try prepare myself as best as possible to play forward this year.”
To do that, Reid will be working closer than ever with his fellow key forwards over the summer with the aim of achieving the right combination.
Add new recruit Callum Sinclair to the mix and the Swans’ forward line is looking ominous ahead of the new season.
“Once I can get out on the track and run around the goal is to build up a bit more time with the rest of the forwards,” Reid said.
“They have been around for a few years now but we haven’t been able to spend much time out on the ground together, including pre-season.
“If we’re able to get out on the ground together and gel a bit more, as well as the smaller forwards, we can make sure that combination is firing before the start of the year.”
Reid’s recovery from a hamstring tear, suffered in the Swans’ qualifying final loss to Fremantle, is tracking well despite the 196cm key position player seeing no ball drills during the opening weeks of pre-season training.
Limited to running laps, Reid will progress to full-intensity training and ball work in early January.
“I deliberately took extra time off to give it the best chance to heal,” he added.
“I took it pretty easy (during the offseason) as I went overseas I did a few treadmill runs but they were pretty light.
“I’ve been back for about a month and I’ve ramped up the running. It’s feeling good and getting stronger so for me it’s all about catching up on my fitness while the other boys train.”
Barring any mishap, Reid is due to reach his 100-game milestone in Round 2 against Carlton.
