Sydney Swans recruit Jackson Thurlow has narrowed his focus on again becoming an AFL regular after a stop-start journey in Geelong Cats colours.

Thurlow missed the entirety of Geelong’s 2016 season due to an ACL rupture and spent the bulk of his 2018 campaign in the VFL.

But an interstate move has reset the 46-gamer’s mindset in his bid to sew up a position in the Swans’ senior side.

“We’re a couple of minutes from the beach down in Clovelly,” Thurlow told SwansTV.

“My partner loves it down there. You’ve got some good beaches on the Great Ocean Road but it doesn’t really compare to the beautiful, clear water up here. I’ve always loved the beach, and with being so close to it now and being able to train just 15 minutes away each way, it’s been a really fresh start.”

Waving goodbye to a state saturated in AFL footy and settling in Sydney has also helped Thurlow turn a new page.

The fleet-footed defender left his home state of Tasmania after penning a deal with Geelong via its first-round selection at the 2012 AFL Draft, and he’s now called the Harbour City home since signing with Sydney at last October’s trade period.

Thurlow was intent on impressing at the Swans from the get-go, with the 24-year-old joining Sydney’s first- to fourth-year players for the opening day of pre-season training.

He played 19 senior games in 2015 and, after watching on from the stands in 2016, has played just 17 AFL matches since.

Thurlow says hard work is at the centre of his focus in his push for a rock-solid 2019 season.

“You can get away from the hype of AFL footy,” Thurlow said.

“You just come in and try to train hard and hopefully that results in AFL games. But even with just being here for four or five months, I’ve already learned a lot.

“At a new footy club you want to put your best foot forward. It’s a fresh start for me. I was at Geelong for six years and didn’t play a lot of AFL footy but hopefully it comes this year.”

Thurlow has trained under the direction of recently appointed defence coach Tadhg Kennelly in the early days of his time in red and white.

But Thurlow says Kennelly, who played 197 games for the Swans between 2001 and 2011, is just one of many ready to show the way.

“I’ve predominantly been training at half-back during the pre-season and am learning off guys like Jake Lloyd, Jarrad McVeigh, Heath Grundy and Dane Rampe, who’ve all been really helpful,” Thurlow said.

“When the games start to ramp up is when you really start to get a gage on where you sit and how different players play. But I’ll probably be at half-back and I’m looking forward to it.”