SYDNEY Swans forward Sam Reid entered the 2012 AFL season burdened with high expectations.

Reid was coming off an extremely promising 2011 campaign, when he held down centre half-forward all year as a 19-year-old and led the club in contested marks.

Desperate to keep other teams at bay, the club handed him a rare five-year contract extension in the off-season, the first Swan to sign a deal of that length since all-time greats Adam Goodes and Michael O'Loughlin.

The stage was set for Reid to continue his smooth transition towards becoming an elite key forward, but nearing the midway point of the season, things haven't gone to plan.

Following a bright start in the opening two rounds against Greater Western Sydney and Fremantle, Reid's form tailed right off and he had little impact over the ensuing six weeks.

The club said injuries were troubling him, but Reid admits there was a more significant reason.

"Early on, there was nothing major [in terms of injuries], it was really more of a confidence thing," Reid told sydneyswans.com.au.

"My confidence was a bit down early on."

There were suggestions his hefty contract was weighing him down, but Reid denied that was a factor.

"No, not really. I wasn't able to train for a week or two and that meant I was a little bit underdone," he said.

"Obviously it doesn't help when you're playing against good players, and I've been getting some pretty handy defenders."

Between rounds three and eight, Reid kicked just 2.5, including a four-game stretch when he managed just four behinds.

It does seem, however, that the blond youngster's form is finally turning around. Credited with a terrific work ethic, Reid has spent hours on his game and there have been some encouraging signs.

He kicked two goals in a losing effort against St Kilda in round nine, then two more in last week's big win over the Western Bulldogs - one a soccered effort off the ground and the other from a trademark grab.

"There's three or four key things we want him to work on and a lot of that just comes from playing the game, that natural improvement," forwards coach Henry Playfair said.

"But as much as we can we're trying to speed that up: the body work, the forward leading patterns and the movement and his timing.

"I'm a big believer that confidence comes from action.

"If you work hard at training, then eventually the form will follow."

Reid's importance to the Swans cause isn’t lost on anyone at the club, and no matter who you speak to, they all want him to re-discover his best form.

"He's getting back to what we saw early on in the year, those really good contested marks, and his goal kicking is improving every week," co-captain Jarrad McVeigh said.

"He's one player we need playing well in our forward line."

The Swans travel to Etihad Stadium to take on Essendon this Saturday night.

Reid should have fond memories of the Bombers, having kicked four against them at the same venue during the NAB Cup.

The club believes he is heading in the right direction - and that his all-important confidence is on the rise.

"I'm definitely feeling more confident than I was about a month ago," Reid said.

"It's getting back up."

James Dampney covers Sydney AFL news for AFL.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_JD