For the first time since 2017, Travis Colyer is on track to play a full season as he cements his place in Fremantle’s best 22.
The 29-year-old is playing some of his best football since joining Fremantle from Essendon, kicking a goal in each of his past four games.
Colyer is averaging 4.7 score involvements per game which is just under his 2017 average and well above his average of 3.2 in 2018 and 2019.
“For me, it’s having another pre-season with this group and to get a bit of confidence back in my own performances. It’s been a nice start of the season,” Colyer said.
He admitted he started the pre-season feeling he wasn’t in Fremantle’s best 22, crediting Freo’s small forward depth.
“The reality was, I was probably the 23rd, 24th guy with some of the other small forwards ahead of me and we’ve got real competition there,” Colyer said.
“To be able to put myself in a position to come in and play well has been really encouraging and I hope that can continue.”
Colyer said his change in form wasn’t due to any drastic change in his pre-season, instead crediting senior coach Justin Longmuir and forward line coach David Hale for the improvement.
“I probably was just really specific on what my role was before we even came back to pre-season,” Colyer said.
“I was having weekly communication with David Hale, the forward coach and JL, just to check in and get progress reports.
“It’s going into each game with a clear mind and a clear focus, so regardless of the result, you can review it and then improve from there.”
Colyer said he would not be underestimating West Coast in Sunday’s RAC Derby despite the Eagles’ 97-point defeat in Geelong in round six, highlighting the likely return of star players Josh Kennedy and Shannon Hurn.
“If you look at West Coast’s performances, they’ve been great. They were in the game against the Bulldogs and probably should have beaten St Kilda,” Colyer said.
“Their form has been really good and one game isn’t going to define how they are as a footy team.
“They’ve got some guys coming back. Every team probably has an outlier in a season and maybe that was theirs on the weekend.”
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