BACK in 1996, a seven-year-old Craig Bird watched on devastated as North Melbourne beat his beloved Sydney Swans in that year's Grand Final.

 

Fast forward 18 years and Bird is hoping to play a key role in Friday night's preliminary final as the Swans attempt to stop the Kangaroos from getting back into another premiership decider.

 

"I do remember watching that Grand Final," Bird, who grew up in Nelson Bay on the NSW north coast, told AFL.com.au.

 

"I didn't go to the game because I was still pretty young, but I was shattered afterwards when North got over them.

 

"They were such a good team back then with Wayne Carey and all those guys.

 

"It was the first time Sydney had been in the Grand Final (since moving from South Melbourne) and it was a good experience just to watch it, although I was really disappointed after the game."

 

Tony Lockett, Paul Kelly and Paul Roos were key figures in that Swans side that helped re-establish the club in Sydney after some tough years.

 

Just two years prior to that Grand Final, the Swans had picked up a third straight wooden spoon.

 

"The Swans making the Grand Final back then generated a lot of interest around Sydney," Bird recalls.

 

"It helped to really kick things off with the Swans up here. It was great."

 

By the time the Swans reached their next Grand Final, in 2005, Bird was a talented teenager making his way through the ranks in the NSW system.

 

He celebrated that drought-breaking victory over West Coast, and just two years later he was selected by the Swans with the 59th pick in the draft.

 

Since his debut in round one 2008, Bird has been part of the next generation tasked with continuing the legacy left by those predecessors, and will play in his 10th final on Friday night.

 

"All the Swans players are always trying to play well and have good years," Bird said.

 

"It is important for Sydney that we stay up around the top teams and help to generate interest in the sport.

 

"I've only missed the finals once since I've been here (in 2009) and the club has done really well with recruiting and drafting and keeping us up among those top few teams each year."

 

Limited by injuries early in his career, Bird played at least 20 matches each season between 2011-2013, and will bring up game No.20 this year against the Kangaroos.

 

But there was a moment during this year's round 21 victory over St Kilda that the 2012 premiership winner suddenly wondered if his hopes of another flag had come to an end.

 

In the first quarter at the SCG, Bird damaged the posterior cruciate ligament in his knee, and some worrying thoughts flashed through his head.

 

"You're just not sure how bad it is or how many weeks you're going to miss," he said.

 

Thankfully scans showed only a minor strain and the 25-year-old sat out two matches before returning for the qualifying final victory over Fremantle.

 

That gave the Swans a week off, and Bird some extra time to rehabilitate his knee, having experienced some slight discomfort after the Freo game.

 

But he is now fully fit and determined to play his part in Friday night's Grand Final qualifier.

 

"It's pulled up really well and I'm ready to go," he said.

 

Asked to reflect on the 2012 Grand Final, Bird described it as a "surreal experience", starting with the parade through Melbourne's CBD.

 

Of the 22 Swans that competed that year, only Jude Bolton, Adam Goodes, Lewis Roberts-Thomson and Ryan O'Keefe had experienced Grand Final week before.

 

"For a lot of us it was our first time, so we didn't really know what to expect," Bird said.

 

"We just got told to enjoy it and were very lucky to get over the line and get that win.

 

"A lot of the boys know what's on the line this week and we're going to go out there and give it everything.

 

"We want another crack at the Grand Final and the premiership.

 

"There's no better feeling than being part of Grand Final week and hopefully we can get there again and give it another go."