James Rowbottom wants more senior opportunities rather than individual accolades in NEAFL

James Rowbottom has been in outstanding form for the Swans in the NEAFL but he’s got much bigger ambitions than winning individual awards in the seconds.

James Rowbottom in action for the Swans. Picture: Michael Klein

James Rowbottom has absolutely no desire to end the season with the MVP award.

At least not the one he’s currently the favourite to land.

The young midfielder has been the Swans’ ‘so near and yet so far’ man of the current campaign.

He has found himself as the ‘emergency’ player on eight occasions, just missing out on the final matchday 22.

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But far from sulking, the 18-year-old has been tearing it up in the reserves at NEAFL level.

So much so that he leads the race for the competition’s MVP accolade by 11 points from his nearest rival as voting goes behind closed doors.

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Swans development coach Jeremy Laidler said after last weekend’s NEAFL win over the Canberra Demons that Rowbottom, who ended the game with 31 touches and three goals, had taken his game to a new level.

On Saturday, he gets only his fourth AFL start as the Swans tackle Gold Coast Suns and he’s in no mood to waste the chance.

James Rowbottom in action for the Swans. Picture: Michael Klein

Rowbottom, who agreed to a new two-year contract earlier this month, told The Saturday Telegraph: “It’s been nice to put some good form together and just put my best foot forward, I guess.”

And swapping the leafy surroundings and sparse crowds of a second string fixture to the passion of a buzzing SCG, holds no fears for the confident youngster.

“I’m pretty calm under those sort of environments and don’t really think too much when I run out and there’s 30,000 or so there. I just look at it as an exciting opportunity,” he said.

“I just want to help continue our good form that we’ve put together over the last six weeks.”

And a good showing will obviously strengthen Rowbottom’s case for a run in the senior side. If that means kissing goodbye to the reserves’ MVP award, so be it.

“Oh, God, yeah. I was just having a chat with one of the boys here about it and said ‘I don’t really want to win it, I want to be playing senior footy’,” he said.

“If I don’t play another game in NEAFL, that’s just fine with me.”