SIMON Goodwin has praised recruit Bayley Fritsch, who booted three goals and impressed considerably in attack against North Melbourne at Kingston Twin Ovals on Saturday, and says he is right in the mix for round one.

Fritsch, who also kicked three goals in his only AFLX appearance recently, has been a strong performer on the track over summer and looms as one to keep an eye on in 2018.

Asked about Fritsch’s prospects for round one, Goodwin said post-match: “He certainly played well, so he’s certainly putting his hand up.”

“He’s a pretty talented kid. We watched him pretty closely at Casey last year and he’s fitted in really strongly to our playing group, so he’s given himself his best opportunity to continue to play the way that we want him to.

“Round one might be an opportunity for him.”

Goodwin said Fritsch was good in the air and at ground level.

“He’s the type of forward who is a difficult match-up, so he’s got some ability,” he said.

“He’s still working on some things within his game to take it to a new level at AFL standard.

“We’ll keep working with him and building that within his game, but he competes in the air and also at ground.”

Fritsch, originally from Coldstream, before being drafted from Casey Demons, said he was rapt to play his first full game for Melbourne. 

“It was definitely a good start to the year,” he said.

“It was good to play in a [longer] format and get out there with the boys; they were good in directing me where to go.

“I was happy to get on the end of a few, but I worked myself into the game. I think it was a team effort and everyone was getting a lick of the ice cream, as they say. I’m just happy to get the win in the end.”