AFL 2025: Sydney defender Lewis Melican signs two-year contract extension

It was late in the 2024 home and away season that Lewis Melican had a moment of maturity. Now, the Swans defender is taking on more responsibility — and has a new deal locked away.

It was during the Swans’ round 20 defeat to the Western Bulldogs last season that Lewis Melican truly realised his perception of football had changed.

The injury-plagued Sydney defender felt a twinge in his hamstring in the first half and cautiously came from the field.

In previous years, the 28-year-old might have pushed through the pain knowing he couldn’t risk losing his place in the line-up. Melican had only made 23 appearances between 2020 and 2023 and was desperate to make up for lost time.

But having played every other game for the Swans in 2024 until that point, he knew his position was safe. He knew he had the trust of his coaches. And most importantly, he knew he had to listen to his body.

Despite passing tests on his hamstring, Melican made the decision to take himself off the field after a slight strain late in the season. Picture: Phil Hillyard

“Fortunately, one of the things about having the hamstring history I had is that I picked up on it very early,” Melican said. “I felt that, ‘Oh, something’s not right here’.

“I came off and did all the tests and tested well. But I just said something wasn’t right and I brought myself off. I got the scan the next day and it turns out I actually did have a small (strain) we had to watch.

“It’s a hard decision to make. But I had played a fair bit of footy that year, and I felt my spot in the team was never secure but more secure than it had been. So I just had that confidence.

“But given the history of injuries, I didn’t want to go back out there and do something worse. I had done all this work and didn’t want to throw it away for the sake of a half of footy.”

The result didn’t go to plan but to play on the grand final stage has given Melican a hunger to return. Picture: Phil Hillyard

After sitting on the sidelines for two weeks, Melican returned as fit as ever for the Swans as they marched through to the grand final.

While that match against the Lions went anything except to plan, 2024 was a year where Melican was able to, for the most part, flip the script in his favour. He played a career-high 24 matches and was pivotal in defence as the Swans claimed the minor premiership.

The club has recognised his influence and rewarded him with a two-year contract extension that will take him through to the end of 2027 – making it 13 seasons on the Swans’ list. And with the most job security he’s ever had in his career, he’s hungry to repay the club’s faith and lead another charge back to September.

“I think I’ve got a lot of confidence over the past year and a half with the football I’ve been able to play and that I know I can get through a year,” Melican said. “And for this early on the club to back me in and get me signed, I’m pretty excited.

“It’s nice to hopefully be able to continue the way I did last year and be able to give back to the footy club. They’ve given me a fair bit and given me plenty of chances to get my body right.

After playing an important role on some of the game’s best key forwards, Melican has been rewarded with a two-year contract extension. Picture: Phil Hillyard

“The most amount of AFL games I’d played before would have been 17, even in years I was fit and healthy throughout. So to play 24 games and constantly be in the team, it’s exciting.

“I did think (it was possible). We had a look at my training … reduced it a little bit and that allowed me to be out there more to play games. It was just getting that balance right so my body wasn’t breaking down on me.

“You’re obviously always hungry. But to get that close and fall short after the year we had, it was tough. But I keep going back to personally I had the best year I’ve had. So as heartbreaking as that last day was, there was a lot that went right that I’ve taken away.”

As the Swans look to end their streak of disappointing grand final defeats, Melican knows he is going to have a lot more responsibility on his shoulders.

Not only is new coach Dean Cox placing a larger emphasis on defence as part of his game plan, but with Tom McCartin’s expected move into the forward line, Melican is likely to assume the role as the club’s number one key defender.

Yet again, it’s a challenge that excites Melican and he can’t wait to get started.

Melican is excited by the added responsibility that is set to come his way in defence this season. Picture: Phil Hillyard

“(Dean’s) being doing the 18-man defence … we want to defend to the death and be as hard to score against as possible,” Melican said. “It takes a whole team to do it.

“Defence is absolutely my DNA and that’s what I’m focused on. But it’s also what we do with the ball … and that can be a growth area for me at times. I want to be able to help the team where I can the other way.

“(Tom’s) move is a bit annoying at times because it means I’m playing on him at training. He got drafted as a forward, moves well and is a big body so I think he’s going to have a presence down there.

“It just means that me and Lizard (Nick Blakey) will have to step up. Learning from Ramps, Harry Cunningham and what they’ve done for so long … now to take a bit of the load off them and help the younger boys as well.

“Hopefully, me and Liz will get that done.”