For Sydney Swans forward Joel Amartey, perspective is everything when it comes to dealing with setbacks.

Amartey was picked up as a rookie after initially missing out on selection in 2017 draft, and has played 64 games, hampered by a combination of early career form and injuries.

Speaking on the Sydney Swans podcast "More than Footy" presented by Bing Lee, Amartey said former player and fellow forward Sam Reid has been a true inspiration to him when it came to dealing with setbacks.

Injury setbacks cruelled Reid at stages during his career, the forward playing 181 games for the red and white over 14 years.

"Sam Reid, when I was here, I looked up to a lot, and he had so many examples of the way he would come in, he'd do a hammy and come in the next day with a smile on his face," Amartey said.

"I used to be like, how's this guy still loving life, but luckily that's because he enjoyed just coming in and seeing all the boys and moving on to the next thing, so I try and be a bit like him.

"You sit in it for your 24 hours because you're obviously devastated, you're not getting to do what you love, but you still get to come to your workplace with your best mates, so there's still a lot to look forward to and be happy with.

"I think for me, it's always been about enjoyment, and if you enjoy something and you love doing it, you're going to work hard to continue to do it, and I think coming here, and footy's one of those things, things that you can't control happen with setbacks and injuries, and there's a bit of what Pap said about the get on with it mentality, think of the next play or the next goal."

Amartey missed a large portion of the Swans 2025 season with an adductor strain, managing eight games. 

He returned in Opening Round this season, kicking nine goals in Sydney's first three games, including a five-goal haul in Round 1 against Brisbane.

"When you get injured, then all of a sudden your goals change to when am I running again, when am I doing this, what speed am I hitting, that sort of thing," Amartey said.

"But for me, it's always been about enjoyment, and as my old man used to always say, everyone's got their own timeline, you can't get caught up with everyone around you and comparing yourself to other people around you because everyone's just in their own timeline and yours will be what it is.

"As long as you're enjoying what you're doing, you're working towards that next goal of yours, I think that's putting the right foot forward, and funny enough, things often fall out and fall into place for people, as long as you tackle the right mindset."

LISTEN to Joel Amartey's episode of More than Footy below.