Gilchrist was picked up by the Club in the 2008 rookie draft, following strong performances with the Sandringham Dragons and Vic Metro in his final year at school.
After impressing the Swans last year, the 19-year-old was given a second season on the rookie list, and realises the importance of 2010 for his career.
“I’ve got to keep improving and really stamp myself within the Club and my position I play and my role in the team. I’ve just got to play as well as I can, keep developing and do all the right things. So it’s really important this year,’’ Gilchrist said.
“The coaches obviously saw enough in me to give me another rookie contract for this year and now I’ve just got to keep doing the same thing, improving, learning and getting better and hopefully I can break through,” Gilchrist said.
Following a strong start to this year, Gilchrist played against Essendon in the pre-season competition, which was a great experience.
Now that he has had a taste of senior footy, he is using it as motivation to make the most of the 2010 season, and ultimately extend his time at the Club.
“I thought it was a good indication of where I am and where I need to go, so it was good,’’ he said.
“Originally my first goal in the pre-season was to get a pre-season Cup game. For the actual season, I want to try and get off the rookie list and get onto the senior list, that’s my big overall goal for the year.”
Gilchrist is now aiming to keep up his consistent form in Reserves and repay the Club for the faith shown in him.
“I think they just want to see me keep improving and fix up some of the areas in my game that do really need to get stronger like my defensive side. But they also want me to keep working on my strengths like my run and my attack on the ball, so it’s just finding the balance of playing to my strengths but also being able to improve the areas of my game that I really need to improve,” he said.
Gilchrist says that he is still learning new things everyday, which is benefitting him both on and off the field.
“Getting new guys at the Club gives me a new perspective on things and new ideas. I’m learning new things off the new blokes all the time.”
One of these new players is Josh Kennedy, who he now shares a house with, along with Patrick Veszpremi. The Gilchrist and Kennedy families have had a long history, and Gilchrist was excited when the former Hawk was drafted to the Swans.
“My older brother is Josh’s age and they played against each other in under nine’s football, and I actually played against Josh’s brother, Ben, in under nine’s football as well. So we’ve kind of played against each other traditionally until about under 15s, when we came together in the Sandringham Dragons in TAC Cup. My brother and Josh played there together, and similarly me and Ben played, so it’s been a little bit funny,’’ Gilchrist said.
“When the Swans announced they were gong to be trading for Josh, I talked to a few of the blokes at the Club and said ‘I know Josh, I know his family. If you want him to live with me, I’d be really happy with that’, so it’s all a bit funny the way it worked out.
“It’s good fun. I get along with both of them really well,” he said.
Gilchrist is enjoying himself on and off the field, and says his game for the Reserves against Tuggeranong last weekend was “one of the better games” he’s played this season.
The Reserves have a bye this weekend, following their first loss of the AFL Canberra season last weekend. Gilchrist says the break has come at a good time and will be an advantage for his side.
“We probably get to re-group after a good start, but a disappointing game last week. It’s been a hard pre-season, and although we’ve had little breaks here and there, it would be good to have a week with a bit more down time so we can just refresh,” he said.
The Reserves’ focus now shifts to the game against last year’s premiers, the Belconnen Magpies, in round six.
