Travis Colyer's confidence on a football field has often surprised. For a player as young - he is still only 19 - and short - he stands at 174cm - Colyer's football is underpinned by a tenacious approach.

 

When he thinks he has a chance to get the ball, he digs in and wins it. Once he's won it, and can see an opening to run with it, Colyer tucks the ball under his arm and goes for it.

It's a confidence reflected in the way he speaks off the field; brightly, intelligently and with purpose. He seems to be a player who understands where he's at, but has aspirations for much more.

It was Colyer who put the Bombers in front for the first time last Friday in the club's breakthrough win at AAMI Stadium with a clever snap at goal in the final quarter. He said the team's output after half-time against the Crows can be put down to a mindset of making the play, not just following it.

""The message at half-time was pretty clear. It was just basically to get back to the structures and what's worked for us in previous games,"" Colyer told essendonfc.com.au

""I don’t think we were disorganised, I think we were just a bit reactive to what Adelaide threw at us. We waited a bit rather than going after it ourselves, and I think we let them get on top of us early.

""We knew, from the previous weeks, that if we just went back to what we'd been doing that it wasn't such a big deficit going into half-time.""

On a personal level, Colyer described the win as ""awesome."" For his team, he thinks it will be the impetus to a better record at home and away.

""The last three weeks have probably been three of the best wins I've been involved in. They've been awesome,"" he said.

""More than anything, to get that experience and belief that we can win away from home and that anywhere, any time, we're going to show up and put on a good performance.""

Colyer, drafted by the club with pick 26 in the 2009 NAB AFL Draft, made his debut in 2010 and played 11 games. This year, however, he had to wait until round eight to make his first appearance for the Bombers. He said the more games he plays, the more he knows his teammates, and understands what they expect of him and what he can expect of them.

""Games experience compares to nothing,"" he says.

""Obviously there was a little bit more of an opportunity last year, and I've been made to earn my spot this year, not that you want to be given games not earning them.

""But I think what you can take out of it is just playing in some bigger games you can pick up the intensity and you can really get a feeling for what AFL footy is like so when you get in positions like the Adelaide game, you can have the belief that you've been here before.

""You can also really feed off other blokes around you. You know how everyone plays and you can be predictable to one another.""

Perhaps the best game of Colyer's career came against Geelong in round 15, when, after starting as a substitute, he picked up 14 possessions and kicked two crucial last-quarter goals. Playing as a sub, Colyer says, is the newest of modern footy's challenges.

""You've got to back yourself, but you can't run around stupid. You've actually got to be quite smart about the way you go about it. It's a different mindset you have to take into a game,"" he said.

""All you know is that when you do come on, you just have to make an impact. But you can't be stupid with having the run in your legs because guys can run around willy-nilly and not go anywhere near the ball.""

This Saturday, Colyer's speed against a quick Carlton team will be important. He says the team still has areas to improve after three consecutive wins, and that he, too, is keen to make the most of his chance at AFL level.

""I've still got things to improve on, but now that I've got my opportunity it's just about taking it, really,"" he said