When one door shuts, another one opens, and that was precisely the case for Sydney youngster Simon Phillips last season.First, Paul Williams' premature retirement opened up a place on the list, then Nick Davis was dropped for poor form and fitness prior to the round 15 West Coast game opening up a vacancy in the senior line-up.Coach Paul Roos could have settled on any number of contenders but stunned everyone when he decided to promote 19-year-old Phillips straight from the rookie list into the senior 22 for the match at Subiaco Oval which the Swans lost by two points.For Phillips it all happened so quickly."There was a bit of controversy that week with the 'Davo' incident but it was good in a way as it meant there wasn't much talk about me as I didn't want to go into the game with expectations and that sort of thing," Phillips told Sportal."Before the game I was pretty nervous as it was against the team we beat for the premiership last year. It was always going to be a big game and being my first game it just made it even bigger."So I just went into the game wanting to have a really good crack and I did. I ran myself into the ground so I was pretty happy with my first game, though would have preferred the win."The Sandringham Dragons junior went on to play four straight senior games, the highlight of a whirlwind ten months which started with being drafted onto the rookie list with the Swans' fourth selection, number 54 overall at the end of 2005."At this time last year I was in an unknown boat. I wasn't really sure where I was going to end up or even whether I was going to be picked up to be honest," he said."So to have a year in Sydney, be promoted off the rookie list and play four senior games is just amazing."Playing under-18's you are a big fish in a small pond and you come to an AFL club and it is just the complete reverse, you are a small fish in a big pond and you have to understand that and adjust."It is putting your head down and backside up and just listening and letting your actions do the talking."I came to the club with no expectations of playing senior footy in my first year and to play my first game at West Coast was just an amazing feeling."Now, with a season of AFL football under his belt, 'Flipper' is focused on further developing his game and body."I am a small guy, I am a lightweight and only stand at 174cm so the way I have to really involve myself is to buzz around and get around the contests and be involved in every play I can," he said."Around the goals is where I do my best work to try and get a few between the big posts. That Richmond game I was a bit stiff to hit the posts a few times, but next year hopefully I can come back bigger and better."I want to put on a few kilos, increase my upper body strength to help get rid of a few opponents, and try to be one of the elite runners at the club as fitness is a big part of my game and being small you have got to be fit and a really good runner."If I can manage to do that then I will put myself in good stead for hopefully playing some more senior games next year."