AFTER AN eye-catching senior debut in 2007, youngster EdBarlow has a simple goal ahead of the new season with the Swans.
"My goal is to play round one...and to play seniorfooty more often," Barlow says.
The 194-cm forward from Tathra in NSW, made an impressivedebut for the senior side against the Brisbane Lions in round 20. The game mayhave ended in a disappointing draw for Paul Roos' side, but for Barlow, it wasa red-letter day in his career.
His 18-possession performance attracted a heap of praise fromhis teammates and the coaching staff.
"It was a big highlight... to finally get there wasgood," he recalls.
"Brett Allison [Swans reserves coach] gave me goodadvice. He said 'make sure you concentrate and don't try do too much. Once youget the footy in your hands, make sure you give the first option'.
"He's [Allison] been really good and he'll be reallyimportant to me next season."
Barlow went on to make four senior appearances in the final fewweeks of 2007 after impressing on the Swans' rookie list over the last 12months.
With that, the belief should be there to go on in 2008.But Barlow isn't talking it up.
"I've still got a long way to go," he says interms of his confidence and belief. "It's a lot better than what itwas.
"I sort of believe in myself a lot more. I'm actually alot more confident on the field knowing I've had those four senior games."
Swans co-captain and Skilton Medal winner Brett Kirk canempathise with Barlow, who had to bide his time before getting his chance.
"What happens when you have a successful period is thatthere aren't a lot of changes to the side if you have a fairly senior group. Ifthe side had been up and down over the last few years maybe his opportunitywould've come earlier," Kirk says.
Asked whether 2008 will be the year he steps up – in asimilar fashion to Nick Malceski last season – and Barlow is again keen to playit down.
"I can't get ahead of myself. Ideally that would begreat but...I'll just have to see what happens," says he says.
Barlow will be recharging his batteries in the off-season witha trip to
He'll also visit his family in Tathra, near the Victoria/NSWborder (Tathra is near Bega, hence the nickname). But it won't be all fun inthe sun.
"I want to try to keep fit and not lose too much fitness. So nottoo much partying and that sort of stuff for me."
