Run of games has House building for the future

CONFIDENCE in his body and a comfort in his role has Timm House producing the best football of his career.

The 22-year-old has had rough luck with shoulder and collarbone injuries plaguing his first full-time season at Geelong, but a string of five straight games has given him the continuity he needs in his football.

House amassed a season-high nine marks in Saturday’s loss to Sandringham, spending periods of the game forward and back.

He started across half-forward but was flung into defence as a seventh man in the second term as the Cats tried to stem the bleeding.

House finished with 19 touches and said he was comfortable with the direction his form was heading.

“I’m starting to feel a bit more comfortable in my role and starting to adapt to playing forward and back, which I did a bit of,” he said.

“I’m starting to throw my weight around a bit more, which is a good feeling from where I’ve come from with a few shoulder injuries. There’s still a lot I can do better.

“I think I can continue working on my marking and positioning, getting to more contests, win more contests or halve them, and my pressure on the ground needs to be more consistent.”

But House said that confidence was taking him a long way.

“I think confidence is a big thing for me and stringing games together is how I build confidence, so hopefully I can keep out on the park and the body holds up, and the form improves with that,” he said.

“I’m still working on it (my fitness); I can plod around but I’m still working on my repeat efforts, so that will come with more games under my belt and stringing games together.”

The West Australian — who also played a key role in Newtown & Chilwell’s 2015 campaign which culminated in a grand final appearance — played defence as a junior, but said he was growing as a forward.

“I was actually a backman in my juniors and only went forward in the last couple of years, so I’m probably more comfortable down back,” he said.

“But I think I’m starting to get better as a forward, reading the game, knowing the set ups a bit more and hopefully I can help my teammates as I improve my knowledge in that area.”

He is yet to make his AFL debut, but with a year to go on his contract, time is on his side.

“I’d certainly like to (debut this year) but it depends on a lot of things,” he said. “I’ve still got a lot to prove with my form in both positions, back and forward, and just consistency is a big one for me.

“I’m good in patches and then drop off and go missing in patches, so I think if I can bring consistency in my game I’ll keep putting my hand up. But I’ll leave that up to the coaches.”