Blossoming Sydney Swans defender Lewis Melican last week ticked the first box of his 2019 campaign and is now steely-eyed ahead of a season full of hope.

An endless run with injury limited the Swans’ 2017 Rising Star to just three senior games in 2018, but the 22-year-old was rock-solid in Sydney’s 24-point win over GWS in last Friday’s practice match.

The Blacktown International Sportspark fixture was Melican’s first since Sydney’s NEAFL side defeated the Brisbane Lions at the same venue in June last year – and he’s now as hungry as ever as the countdown to Round 1 continues.

“I definitely want to get as much out of this season as I can,” Melican told SwansTV.

“I was a bit disappointed last year after having a really good 2017 season. To get injured just three games into last year was really frustrating.

“I’m just making sure my body is right this year, and that I get everything sorted that I can control, and hopefully I can look forward to a good 2019 season.”

Melican claimed an AFL Rising Star nomination in 2017 after keeping St Kilda great Nick Riewoldt to just 10 touches and one goal in Round 18.

The 195-centimetre, 100-kilogram backman then wouldn’t feature in senior footy after Round 3, 2018, but he turned a new page in last Friday’s practice-match victory.

Alongside Dane Rampe, Heath Grundy, Colin O’Riordan and a number of other key Sydney backmen, Melican played a central role as the Swans’ back six limited GWS to just two goals in the opening half.

That was despite the fact Jarrad McVeigh, Nick Smith and Aliir Aliir were among a host of Sydney defenders unavailable for the clash.

Melican says the Swans’ defensive stocks are full of belief.

“We have a lot of confidence in ourselves,” Melican said.

“We have a pretty solid back six. There are probably seven or eight who could easily be in the AFL side, but only six are out there in defence at a time. We’re really confident that regardless of whoever’s out there that we’re able to restrict the opposition’s score.”

The Swans’ preparation for the season proper will intensify as they go head to head with GWS in Blacktown on Saturday night.

The Swans will then meet the Gold Coast Suns in Lismore the following Sunday, before they kick-start their official season in a clash with the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium on March 23.

“It’s always an exciting time when games start to roll around,” Melican said.

“You start moving into the in-season program and away from all that running and conditioning we do.”