After being dropped for the 2018 Preliminary Final, Melbourne forward Bayley Fritsch was “spurred” on to get another crack at finals footy.
Fritsch burst onto the scene in 2018 as a medium-sized forward and kicked 17 goals from 23 games in his debut season as Melbourne rocketed up the AFL ladder.
What followed for Melbourne was a surprising drop off in form in 2019 and 2020 and a series of positional changes for Fritsch that halted his development.
Fritsch believes the disappointment of missing out early on his career has driven him to get to where he is now.
“I guess ... it spurred me on a little bit,” Fritsch told SEN's Bob and Andy.
“I knew that all these decisions happen for a reason and I thought at the end of the day I’ve played 22 or 23 games in my first year of AFL footy.
“I played a couple of finals at the ‘G in front of 90 thousand plus, I put things into perspective a little bit.
“Obviously, I was disappointed at the time and I was rapt to be able to play in a prelim last week and get a victory so I’m just really looking forward to the next week and the build-up to the Grand Final.”
Fritsch has kicked 53 goals and counting in 2021 and is relishing the opportunity to play as the third tall in a forward line packed with talent.
He believes he’s finally found a home in the Demons side after a few years of experimentation on a wing and halfback.
“It was a little bit difficult, I was open to the idea of becoming a half back but growing up I’d never done that before and I always just thought that I was a natural forward,” Fritsch said.
“I’m not the greatest defender as it is so I was happy to be back in the forward line.
“They just encourage me to play footy, as they do with most of our forward.
“Some weeks or some quarters you won’t have a touch...but you want to try and impact when you get that opportunity and that’s what I try to do and try to make the opposition pay.”
As for the Grand Final on Saturday week, Fritsch assured the Demons faithful that All Australian defender Steven May will be fit to play.
“Stevie had a run around today, looked good from what I’d seen so I’d say there would be very little doubt of him not playing,” Fritsch said.
“I think he’ll be playing for sure and I can’t wait to run out with him next Saturday.”