OUT OF contract at season's end, Craig Bird is hoping a continuation of his recent good form will lead to a new deal with the Sydney Swans.
 
Bird is one of a number of Swans that had their contract talks put on hold by the club as it awaited a decision from the AFL regarding equalisation and, more specifically, the Cost of Living Allowance.
 
That decision has now been made, with COLA to be phased out, meaning negotiations can resume with out-of-contract Swans, which include Bird and ruckman Mike Pyke.
 
Despite the Swans' heavy investments in Kurt Tippett and Lance Franklin over the past two years, Bird's form suggests that the club will find a way to squeeze him in.
 
In his past two games, against Essendon and Geelong, the 25-year-old has averaged an impressive 32 possessions, 6.5 marks, six tackles and one goal.
 
A New South Welshman (one of 11 on the Swans' list), Bird hails from Nelson Bay, on the north coast, and is hopeful of extending his seven-year association with the club.
 
"I'll leave that to the management group, but I really want to stay at Sydney and just worry about my footy for the rest of the year and let the management group take care of that," Bird said on Friday.
 
"I really want to stay at Sydney and focus on my footy for the rest of the year."
 
Bird agrees his strong form is among the best of his career, with the midfielder's high level of play some of the reason behind Tom Mitchell and Ryan O'Keefe's inability to break back into the senior side.
 
It is also reward for the club's perseverance with Bird, who was handed the Swans' vaunted No.14 jumper when he joined the club, worn previously by Bob Skilton and Paul Kelly.
 
The situation was looking far more bleak for Bird back in 2010 when repeated foot injuries were threatening his career, but some simple inserts in his boots ultimately solved that issue.
 
He has missed just six games in the past four seasons, playing all 25 in the premiership year of 2012.
 
"Our podiatrist is really good and sorted out those foot problems I had," he said.
 
"It was an interesting time of my career, I wasn't sure how I was going to go with those injuries.
 
"But I've got on top of that stuff now and don't have to worry about it. I can just worry about playing football and performing each week."
 
The Swans will attempt to build on their six-game winning streak against the Suns on the Gold Coast this Sunday.
 
Another victory would result in the Swans' best return since a nine-game run en route to that 2012 flag.
 
Earlier this week, Swans coach John Longmire nominated Bird as one player that could be given the task of quelling Suns superstar Gary Ablett, along with Kieren Jack, Jarrad McVeigh and Ben McGlynn.
 
While Bird is naturally aware of the task at hand, he is also wary of a number of other players the Gold Coast possess and that have helped the fourth-year club to equal the Swans' 7-3 start to the season.
 
"I think as a whole midfield group we’ll have to watch Gary and it won't just be one player," Bird said.
 
"He's obviously very hard to stop, so we just have to curb his influence as much as we can.
 
"He's obviously a very damaging player, but they've got other midfielders now like (David) Swallow and (Dion) Prestia who can hurt you as well.
 
"So we're going to have to be wary of their whole midfield group."
 
Twitter: @AFL_JD