By Adrian Warren
Renowned Sydney Swans dasher Lewis Jetta reckons he's getting close to his career best form, but wants to start getting recognition for his defensive efforts.
Jetta missed much of last season with a shin issue after being Sydney's leading goalkicker in their triumphant 2012 campaign.
The midfielder-forward is gradually getting back to his speedy crowd-pleasing best, producing more of his trademark runs in recent weeks.
Jetta doesn't feel too he's too far away from his form of 2012, when he was pushing for All-Australian selection.
"I've just got to get more match fitness under me and take the game on a bit more and maybe kick a couple more goals," he said.
"That's the exciting part, I've still got a lot of room to improve and I'm going pretty good at the moment."
Not surprisingly Jetta is relishing the opportunity to play alongside star forward recruit Lance Franklin.
"It's good, I get in trouble I just kick it long," Jetta joked.
He would be delighted to enjoy the same kind of defence-cracking relationship with Franklin that Cyril Rioli had at Hawthorn.
"I think that's what me and Goodesy (Adam Goodes) had at the start and if I can have it with Goodesy and Buddy, that's absolutely scary," Jetta said.
For all the kudos he gets for his attacking play, Jetta hopes to start earning praise for the less glamorous aspects of his game.
"I've been working on my inside stuff, defence, tackling, ground balls, 50-50 contests," Jetta said.
"I know my pace and my offence is still there. I'm still working on my defence. If I can get some credit for that, I'll be pretty happy."
Jetta was run down in Adelaide last week, though he was adamant he slipped.
While he didn't get his leg pulled by team-mates after that rare occurrence, Jetta copped some friendly flak closer to home.
"It's all my family giving me stuff, I think they said the coyote finally caught the roadrunner, or something like that," Jetta said.