The 20-year-old, who was called upon to make his senior debut in round five against Fremantle at the SCG, is yet to play in a losing Swans side and has successfully worked his way into the club’s midfield rotation in just his second year at the club.
Lloyd, who boasts a high-level running capacity and silky foot skills, told sydneyswans.com.au that he felt fortunate to be in the position he’s in.
“I guess I’ve been pretty lucky,” Lloyd said.
“It was good to get an opportunity after a slow start to the year and be able to work hard with the guys from round five and really train hard and work hard on the track.
“It’s all paid off at the moment and it’s been pretty special.”
Hailing from Horsham in Victoria’s Wimmera district, Lloyd arrived at the Swans at the end of 2012 as a rookie selection from the North Ballarat under-18 side.
After enjoying a highly consistent first season with the Swans reserves, which saw him named in the NEAFL Team of the Year, Lloyd was first in line when the senior team was in need of a change after losing three of their opening four matches this season.
“It was a bit of a surprise when I was picked to make my debut, but I felt I was ready,” Lloyd said.
“I’ve worked pretty hard over the years and it’s every kid’s dream to play AFL football and once I got that opportunity I didn’t want to waste it.
“I’ve trained hard and I’ve learned a lot off our senior guys and that’s really held me in good stead.”
Since playing his first game back in round five, Lloyd has developed into a solid contributor, averaging just over 14 possessions a match.
His most prolific performance was in just his third senior game, when he picked up 29 touches, three tackles and a goal against the Brisbane Lions in round seven, and was also impressive in the Swans’ round nine win over Essendon, when he collected 20 touches and laid six tackles.
Despite enjoyed a bright start to his career, Lloyd said he was determined to improve in every match and could not afford to rest on his laurels.
“I’m continually trying to improve the defensive side of my game,” he said.
“I’m working on my tackling, and just my work rate and I’m still trying to improve on my strengths as well, like my running and my use of the footy.
“I’ve still got a lot of things to work on but I think I’m slowly improving each week.”
Lloyd’s rise has been quite an achievement, holding his position in the senior squad while the likes of Gary Rohan, Brandon Jack and Tom Mitchell have all been pushing their cases for selection at different stages this season.
The Swans’ number 44 said he expected to see a number of other young Swans step up when give their opportunity.
“I was in that position (of pushing for senior selection) last year, so you’ve just got to continue to work hard,” he said.
“When you get your opportunity you’ve just got to take it with both hands, and that’s something that I’ve been able to do, and I’m sure it’s something that they’ll do when they get their chance.”
Games Before First Loss
18 Albert Lauder (Collingwood, 1926-29)
17 Kelvin Moore (Hawthorn, 1970-71)
17 Alby Ingleman (Carlton, 1905-08)
15 Harry Herbert (Geelong, 1952-53)
15 Alan Thaw (Essendon, 1949-50)
15 Daniel Menzel (Geelong, 2010-11)
14 Shaun Burgoyne (Port Adelaide, 2002)
14 Bryan Kenneally (Melbourne, 1959-60)
14 George Green (Collingwood, 1903-04)
14 Jack Kirby (Essendon, 1911-12)
14 Fred Payne (Essendon, 1949-51)
14 Paul Cranage (Collingwood, 1973)
14 Ben McEvoy (St Kilda, 2008-10)
