JYE Amiss has been working on the mental side of football this season to the point where he now sees the game as being 50 per cent physical and 50 per cent between the ears. 

In a week where Fremantle has needed to move on quickly from a qualifying final loss and get in the right headspace for a cutthroat semi-final against Geelong, the key forward epitomises what is possible when you prioritise the 'mental game'. 

Amiss has been a star this season, kicking a team-high 59 goals, finishing fifth in the Coleman Medal race, and averaging a team-high 3.3 marks inside 50 (ranked No.3 in the League). 

But it is the moments where the 23-year-old has needed to show mental strength and composure that stand out, recovering from a slow start to the year, standing up at clutch moments, and rebounding well after early set shot misses in games. 

The introverted Amiss, who has come out of his shell at Fremantle this season, said the weekly work he had put into the mental side of football had paid off.  

"You come into the AFL and you want to improve your footy and improve your skills, but then over time you learn how important the mental game is, and now I see it as 50-50 with the physical and mental side," Amiss told AFL.com.au this week.

"I've done a lot of work on that with our sports psych at the club, I see her every week, and I think that's really helped me in those moments to understand that where it may not be your quarter, or it might not be your game, it can be your moment. 

"Whether it's your next contest or the next time you're around the ball, it gives you that mentality that you can move on and you don't have to hang on to stuff."

Amiss faced his first challenge early this season, booting 1.1 across his first two games and having his role in the team and in a tall forward line scrutinised. His ability to work through that test, however, was soon rewarded. 

He kicked a clutch matchwinner against Collingwood in the wet during Gather Round and then shone in a breakout five-goal performance against West Coast in round six, hauling in a club-record nine marks inside 50.

The No.24 has produced some of his best performances against top-six teams, with his ability to bounce back from early set shot misses on show against Adelaide in round 23, hitting the post from directly in front before booting three first-quarter goals from difficult positions.

While working with club staff and his coaches has been important to build that mental strength within games, Amiss has also found the right balance away from footy to ensure he performs on game day. 

"I love my camping and I love getting away when I can. If we have one or two days off, even if it's near Perth or whatnot, I like to get out into the bush and into the wilderness," Amiss said. 

"Sitting around a fire helps me escape and it's the best thing for me. As long as I've got my got my shoes off and my feet in the dirt, I'm happy.

"I also love my drawing and love art. Mostly sketching, and I've tried oil and tried pastel and all different things, so I'll keep tinkering around with that."

If the mental side of the game is in good order for Amiss, then it's hard to find fault with the physical side after the 196cm goalkicker added more size and strength during a highly focused off-season training with superstar ruck Luke Jackson and assistant coach Sam Naismith. 

Learning how to use his extra size has been an area of growth for the sharpshooter, who has regularly won physical battles with big key defenders and developed new avenues to mark inside 50. 

"You want to be able to do a lot as a key forward. You want to be able to lead, you want to be able to be win one-on-one contests, and you want to be able to use your strength," Amiss said. 

"I feel like the first couple of years, I sort of put all this weight on and I was quite big, but I didn't really know how to use it in the contest.

"Learning how to use that over another pre-season, and doing different drills and different exercises in the gym to complement what I'm doing out on the field, has been a big change." 

With his growing stature as one of the AFL's best key forwards, Amiss has come out of his shell at Fremantle this season and embraced opportunities to speak up and show leadership. 

His growth as a person has coincided with his improvement as a player, even if there is a contrast between his softly spoken nature and the authority that he now plays with as a powerful and competitive key forward.  

"When you come in as a young fella, everything is pretty new, and I'm a pretty introverted sort of person," Amiss said.  

"At the start, I feel like that was the hardest thing for me, to come out of my shell and whatnot. And I would still say now I'm not the loudest person.

"But I feel like when I have something to say or if it is my time to lead, I feel like I'm acknowledged a bit more now and hopefully that continues to grow. 

"But then gaining respect from teammates and the coaches and staff around me and building relationships with players as well has been important. 

"I feel like that (leadership) is something that I'll continue to work on and hopefully it becomes a strength."