THERE is often some good to be found in among the bad, which is certainly the case for Tom Gillies in Geelong’s VFL team this season.

The young Cats have just one win from 10 games this season, but the upside for Gillies is that as the fullback he has not been short on action.

“I just try to do my job down there,” Gillies said. “But it’s been pretty busy in the VFL this year. The wins and losses aren’t looking that good but we’re going all right. Every week we’re confident and excited to play the Geelong way and we’re heading in the right direction.”

It’s a positive outlook by Gillies and an attitude the coaching staff could only be pleased with as they contemplate promotion to the AFL line-up for the first time since 2009.

Having played solid football for the VFL line-up, an AFL call-up would be a fine reward for Gillies, who made his debut and played six games late in the 2009 season.

But 2010 was a different story for Gillies as he drew an AFL blank while battling a groin problem that hindered his fitness and form for much of the season.

“I started playing all right footy and with my groin I couldn’t really walk after games and that,” Gillies said. “It’s not really an excuse, but it could be a reason.”

Fortunately, those groin issues have abated with an adjusted training and fitness program and Gillies has responded with a string of efforts that have shown why he is being groomed as a key defender.

“I’ve been going all right,” Gillies said. “I’m injury-free and the groin has been good. I’ve been feeling a lot better after games.

“The new fitness and conditioning guy came in and changed my program. Instead of running 30km a week, he had me running 22km a week to lessen the load on my groin and I was doing different stuff in the gym. I’m feeling really good.”

With a sound body and sound game having made it through the first half of the season, Gillies could be set to make his AFL mark in the second half of the campaign.

Not that being Geelong’s first-choice fullback would seem to be a long-term possibility given Matthew Scarlett may be years away from retiring as perhaps the best the game has ever seen.

To have somebody of such calibre to observe and learn from at close quarters can only be a benefit for Gillies, who soaks in what he can from Scarlett without trying to turn into a clone of the brilliant No.30.

“I look at the tings he does, but no-one can do the things he does so you’ve got to go your own way of doing things as well,” Gillies said. “But you definitely watch him and see what he does. He’s a very good player.”

One attribute Scarlett possesses, among other things, is consistency, which is a quality Gillies is aiming to establish in his game as he prepares to take the next step in his promising career after the disappointment of 2010.

“To get back in and play consistent footy was the main thing,” Gillies said. “I’ve been consistent in my efforts, I reckon. The ball doesn’t always fall my way, but I try my hardest.”