SYDNEY Swans rookie Dylan McNeil is proof that a good attitude and plenty of hard work can overcome even the most ingrained misconceptions.

In his first season with the Swans, the young midfielder has been one of the most consistent players in the reserves, featuring regularly in the best players.

At 178cm, the 19-year-old is several centimetres smaller than the tall, athletic midfield model currently in vogue with AFL recruiters.

But the concerns of 15 clubs over McNeil's height turned out to be a blessing for the Swans, who leapt to secure the Lavington product immediately after the 2009 NAB AFL Draft.

"I always knew that the recruiters, for some reason, have that sort of mindset themselves but I thought with the way I played, I deserved to get taken in the national draft. That didn't happen," he recalled.

"Pretty much straight after the national draft, I got the phone call from Kinnear Beatson and they wanted me to come up and train. It was only two or three days later that I got called into Roosy's office and he told me I was going to get a rookie spot on the list.

"It was a good moment, because I didn't have to stress as much when I was up there, trying to impress. I could just concentrate on getting to know everyone."

McNeil attributed his good form with the Swans' reserves to his own high standards, while prior experience in the AFL Canberra competition 2009 helped, too.

"I expected and wanted to play like that right from the first game," he said.

"I played a few games last year for the Swans reserves as well, so I sort of knew what was coming and that made it a bit easier as well. I put that expectation on myself to play well from the first game."

McNeil had every reason to believe he was capable of matching it with grown men after an outstanding final year at under-18 level in 2009. 

He captained NSW/ACT to the Division 2 title at the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships, winning All-Australian selection and the Hunter-Harrison Medal for best Division 2 player along the way.

He also claimed the best and fairest award at his TAC Cup club, the Murray Bushrangers, making his disappointment on draft day all the more puzzling.

But all's well that ends well, and it could be suggested that McNeil, a Carlton supporter in his younger days, has found his spiritual footballing home at the SCG.

With the likes of his mentor and captain Brett Kirk, and fellow hard nut Jude Bolton to look up to, the hard-nosed midfielder has fine role models from which to learn his craft.

"There are a fair few guys I can look up to and make sure I try to follow them at training," he said.

"It's a big help; you can see what the senior players do to make sure they're right to play AFL, so I just try to copy those guys."

Housemate Jarred Moore had been a huge help off the field, McNeil added, as he came to grips with the demands of being a full-time footballer.

With more than half the season now gone, McNeil said he was firmly focused on using every remaining game to work towards his ultimate goal of earning a berth on the Swans' senior list at year's end.

"I'm just trying to make sure I play well throughout the whole year and give myself the best chance of being elevated," he said.

"The feedback's been pretty positive, which is good. I'm just trying to make sure I improve on all the areas they tell me to, like the defensive side of the game and my running.

"I've been slowly improving those areas".