Footy players spend a lot of time watching the tv screen these days. Sure, we try to catch other teams playing over the weekend, but what I’m talking about is much more specialised viewing.

After every game, all the vision from our match is coded so that clips are put together for every player in the team.

The package can contain up to 100 clips if you’ve had a busy day, because it includes every time you’re involved in a piece of play.

That doesn’t just mean when you’ve marked, kicked, handballed or spoiled an opponent. It also includes vision of you simply running in a passage of play.

The coaches go through the clips and then flag the ones that are really important for us to watch. Then each player goes through their clips individually with the assistant coach who’s responsible for that area of the ground. At our club John Longmire looks after the midfield, John Blakey is the forwards coach, and Peter Berbakov is the defence coach.

So every week I go through my tape with John Longmire, and also Mark Stone, who is our stoppages specialist.

They point out the good, the bad and the ugly! Against St Kilda, I got ticks for the fact that I kept moving at the stoppages - that’s essential when you’re being tagged. If you just stand there, you’ve got little hope of evading your opponent and getting the ball.

On the other side, I was guilty of quite a few fumbles, so this week I’ve got to make sure my hands are cleaner.

Apart from my own vision, I also watch clips with the guys I mentor. This season that is Paul Bevan, Pat Veszpremi and Kieren Jack. I don’t go through all of their vision, but make sure we look at the important things.

By Tuesday afternoon, all that is over, and we turn our attention to the opposition.

I’ll generally study the coded vision of two or three opposition midfield players, and look in particular at what they like to do at the stoppages.

I’ll check whether they’re inside players who generally get the ball out, or outside players who receive and run. I’ll need to know where they like to run, and whether they prefer to kick with their left or right foot.

We’ll see if all the study pays off this Sunday against Adelaide. I’ve never been in a team that has beaten the Crows at AAMI Stadium, so we’ve had quite a few unhappy bus trips back to the hotel or the airport. I hope it’s a better journey home this Sunday evening.

Games at the SCG are electricfying. See the Swans take on Richmond next  Saturday night. Grab your tickets now at www.ticketek.com.au. Please note first bounce for our Round 3 fixture Sydney Swans v Richmond is 7.10pm. Gates open at 3.45pm.