EMERGING midfielder Jimmy Toumpas says the experience of playing against the Sydney Swans last round helped him play his best AFL match yet against the Geelong Cats at Simonds Stadium on Saturday.

Toumpas, who collected a career-best 20 disposals, was one of the positives from Melbourne’s 68-point loss in difficult, wet conditions.

Although the first year Demon conceded he felt overawed against the Swans last round, he said he had a greater belief against the Cats.

“I went into playing against Sydney – and I shouldn’t say it – but I was a little bit intimidated by the reigning premiers,” Toumpas told melbournefc.com.au.

“As the game went on, you feel more comfortable out there, and playing against Sydney definitely gave me a lot of confidence coming into this game.

“You go out there and you see [Joel] Selwood and [Steve] Johnson and I’ve been watching them for years tearing it up. You definitely get a bit overawed, but it’s a game of footy, and last week definitely gave me some confidence going into this week. I went all right.”

Toumpas said he couldn’t remember the last time he played a game of football in the wet conditions he experienced at the Cattery.

“I reckon the last game would’ve been against Sandy (Sandringham) in the VFL, in the wet, but it was nothing like this,” he said.

Still, Toumpas, who has now played nine matches, including the past five, said he had relished his first season, despite the difficulties Melbourne has faced, and the physical and mental demands of playing at the highest level. 

“It’s pretty tough, playing week in week out at the moment, which I’m ecstatic about,” he said.

“The recovery side of things, [elite performance manager] Dave Misson has been awesome with that, and I’ve had a bit of trouble with my knee in the last couple of weeks.

“They’ve been really cautious with me and it’s good, because I’ve been getting through training fine. It’s taken a toll on my body, but I’m playing AFL footy and that’s just what I want.”