WHEN Paul Bevan surveyed his Sydney Swans teammates in the rooms before last Saturday’s clash with Hawthorn, he knew they were set for a big night.
Stung by their inconsistency against St Kilda in the season opener, Bevan said it was clear the players had a point to prove in their first home game.
"You can sort of tell in the warm-up before the game if everyone’s switched on," he said.
"Everyone was really focused and fired up and that resulted in us coming out firing.
"Obviously they got off to a good start, but we were really switched on. Everyone played their part, played their role and we got the result we wanted."
A 38-point win over the reigning premier was just the tonic for Paul Roos’ men but Bevan said there was no chance of the Swans resting on their laurels when they take on the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba this weekend.
"Hawthorn will mean nothing if we lose to Brisbane up there, so we’ve just got to back it up. We’ve played okay against them in the past, so hopefully that continues, but they’re a quality team and we can’t take them lightly," he said.
"We’ve probably played five of our best quarters in a long while in the last two weeks, so hopefully we can continue that."
Consistency is the buzz word in the Swans’ camp and it’s been a personal mantra for Bevan in the past 18 months.
After earning a NAB AFL Rising Star nomination and playing 24 games in 2004, his debut season, Bevan struggled to cement his place in the team in the three years that followed.
He earned his place in the Swans’ premiership team in 2005, but only played 15 games that year.
Another 26 games in two years left the running utility with some uncertainty, but he responded in fine style in 2008, playing every game and finishing equal sixth in the Bob Skilton Medal count.
Bevan said a chat with some of the club’s senior players helped him change his approach.
"It’s probably a mental thing, just the way I approach the games now is a bit different to how I approached it before," he said.
"I’ve done a lot of work and I’ve been speaking to my mentors, Leo Barry and Ryan O’Keefe. They’ve really helped me, just telling me to control what I can control.
"I’m feeling a little more comfortable within myself and I know what I’ve got to do to get another game. I’ve just got to beat my man and play my role.
"Early on, I was probably trying to do a bit too much, but I’ve worked out exactly what I’ve got to do."
Bevan’s versatility – he can play forward, back or run through the midfield – has prevented him from settling in one position, but he’s taking the weekly changes in his stride.
And with growing competition for places in the senior team as Roos attempts to blood youth, Bevan knows that his newfound consistency is an increasingly valuable attribute.
"Even the guys who have played two or three years like Craig Bird, Kieren Jack and Jarred Moore – they haven’t got much experience but they’re really pushing the older guys to play good footy, otherwise they’re going to cement a spot," he said.
"Then there are the young guys who have come to the footy club in their first year. I’ve only really seen them on the training track but they’ve got really good habits and if they continue, they’ll get a game before they know it."
