After being held back by injury at the start of the season, the 24-year-old has played every match since round five and will bring up game 100 this Sunday against GWS.
Bird’s improved form has been on display across the last three rounds, with the midfielder averaging 25 disposals and six tackles, and recently collected a career-high 33 disposals against Carlton in round 14.
Speaking from the Swans’ recovery session at North Bondi on Monday morning, Bird said he felt he was in career-best form.
“I think it’s been the most consistent footy I’ve ever played,” he said
“At the start of the year I came back through the twos and was just trying to find a bit of consistency.
“I think the last few weeks I’ve been able to do that and have put four quarters together and hopefully I can keep that going for the rest of the year.”
Bird’s recent form is a far cry from the inconsistency her suffered at the beginning of his career, when a stress fracture in his foot kept him off the field for most of the 2010 season.
The midfielder’s foot injury limited his game time but also prevented him from building on his fitness.
“I missed the whole year with a stress fracture in my foot,” he said.
“I wasn’t actually able to run so I had to find other ways of building my fitness through swimming and the Alter-G machine we’ve now got at the club, which can take the load off your foot.
“At times I showed that I could play AFL football but I think my fitness was what held me back a little bit.
“It was something I worked really hard on in the last few years and being able to play for four quarters consistently was something I really strived at for the last couple of years.
“It did take me a few years to get used to (AFL footy) but now I’m just really enjoying my time now.”
With his 100th match just days away, the midfielder said he was thrilled to reach the milestone after a difficult battle beginning to his career.
“I’m really happy to have played 100 games for the Swans and it’s been a great time ever since I’ve been here and made my debut in 2008,” he said.
“I’m really looking forward to the 100th this week and I am really happy with the achievement.
“There were certain times where I probably didn’t think I was going to make it with a few different injuries.
“I was happy to get through that and to go out and start playing senior footy again and I’m just really happy just to make this milestone.”
Bird’s milestone match will be marked at this Sunday’s historic clash with GWS at the SCG, which will be the first time the two sides have met at the Swans’ home ground, and he said he was looking forward to meeting the club’s cross-town rivals on home turf this weekend.
“It will be good,” he said.
“The boys always enjoy playing at the SCG and so do I, and it’s a great ground to play at.
“We’re really looking forward to a big game this weekend and hopefully we get a decent crowd out to the SCG.”
While injury kept him out of the Swans’ round one clash with GWS, Bird said the competition’s newest team had taken steps forward this season.
“I think GWS were pretty fired up for round one and they were pretty confident going into the game that they were going to give us a pretty good test,” he said.
“I thought they played quite well at times and really tested the boys and I think it will be the same this week.
“They’ve been going OK lately and were right in the game on the weekend against the Bulldogs and we have another test on our hands.”
