EXCITING young speedster Sam Blease has conceded he didn’t “buy in” to the coaches’ plans early in the 2012 season, but attributes his promising second half of the season to adhering to the new regime.

Blease was one of the brightest stories from an otherwise disappointing season for Melbourne, playing 16 matches, including the last 15 rounds.

He said that, early in the year, he grappled with the change in coaching philosophies before he earned his way back into the senior side in round eight.

“You get drilled into for a few years - one way of how to play and you come into a new thing and you’re not sure how to go,” Blease told melbournefc.com.au.

“Being a younger player - I’ve had three coaches in four years - and you’re changing each time. It took me, as well as a few others, time to adapt to it.

“Just adapting to the way we want to play - if we can get 22 players doing that, then I think we can be a good side.”

Blease said that learning to live and breathe changes from several key personnel, who had arrived from opposition clubs, took time to settle.

“Everyone’s got their own ideas and new ideas, and this is what holds up in finals, because Neeldy (Mark Neeld) has been at Collingwood and Misso (Dave Misson) has been at St Kilda and Craigy (Neil Craig) has been at Adelaide - they’ve all had success, and this is what works,” he said.

“If we can get 22 players buying into it, there’s no doubt we can be a good side.”

The 21 year-old played the opening match of the season - Melbourne’s 41-point loss against Brisbane Lions at the MCG - before being left out for the next six matches. He said this was the spark that he needed to turn it around.

“Early days, after getting dropped after round one, was a bit of a wake-up call,” Blease said.

“I debuted last year in round 15, and I love playing in front of crowds and I love playing with the boys - I get so much enjoyment out of that.

“It’s just a shame that on-field we haven’t had the success that we deserve. We put in a lot of training hours and all the work we did over pre-season - it’s taken a little bit longer to adapt to everything.

“It took me a little bit as well - in the first half of the year, I didn’t buy in for the first five or six weeks and, as soon as I did that, I was able to put all of that behind me and work with the coaches and not against them.

“I’ve really enjoyed my time in the back half this year - I’ve been able to string some games together and work really well with the coaches.”

But despite the changes, Blease said he had worked closely with some of the key mentors in the football department.

“I’ve built up a pretty good relationship with Neil Craig this year. I go and see him once a week, and we catch up and think about footy. It’s good to get another perspective, and Craigy almost comes from almost a different angle to what you’d call normal people. He comes from a different angle again,” he said.

“I’ve tried to build a good relationship with Neeldy as well, and he’s another good sounding board. Browny and Satts have been open and honest with me over the year, and they’ve told me the expectations.

“If I’m not meeting them, they’re drilling it into me and that’s the only way we can get better, so I’ve really enjoyed those four people. It’s been a challenging year for us a club. I’ve enjoyed actually being able to play for a change, and have tried to help get the side back up.”

Blease acknowledged that the defensive side of his game was an area he needed to improve early in 2012, and it is still at the forefront of his mind.

“I’m trying my hardest, and trying to rectify that. If I can keep showing subtle improvements and I’m not coming up on the [match review] vision as often each week, it’ll slowly diminish, hopefully - I’m trying to work on it,” he said.

“But if I can get that right, then hopefully I’ll be a more rounded player, instead of just having three or four attributes, and that’s another string I can add to my game.

“Hopefully with another pre-season this year, I can get as fit as I can and play up the ground a bit more and be valuable up there, as well as play as a small forward as well.”

Although Blease was noted as a half-back/wingman entering 2012, he trained and played with the forwards.

He ended the season with 19 goals, including five against St Kilda in round 20.

Despite not having played much up forward in recent years, it was a return to his days as a junior, where he spent considerable time.

“I played a lot as a forward as a junior, so I’d like to think I know where the goals are and I enjoy kicking one, like we all do,” he said.

“It wasn’t a massive change, but early days playing as a small forward and learning the structure and the role was a lot different.

“That was my biggest challenge, getting my positioning right and knowing when to go, and not going too early and getting front and centre at the contest.”

Having gone to another level in 2012, Blease is fully aware that the challenge will be to raise the bar over the pre-season.

“Last year was probably my first - where I could come into the pre-season and actually have a crack,” he said.

“I want to get as much out of this pre-season as possible, because I think it can really set me up for a really good season next year.”

He said that not missing a session was his No. 1 pre-season aim.

“I feel if I can get really fit, I can hopefully be more valuable to the side and play a bit more up the ground. I’ll be able to run longer in games and both ways, which I really want to do.”

With a new two year deal recently locked in, Blease wants to be one of the core group of Demons to turn the team’s fortunes around.

“It was good to get it (the contract) all sorted. My manager got it done as quick as we could and we’re happy to be here for another couple of years,” he said.

“Hopefully I can be one of the players to help bring this group forward and get back to where we need to be - we’ve got the core group of players who can do that.”

Blease is one of Melbourne’s most talented players, and he knows that his spark and excitement can add enormous benefits to the group.

“I enjoy trying to bring excitement - that’s one of my main focuses going into each game,” he said.

“It’s one of my main focuses going into each game - probably one of about three or four [things] is bringing excitement to the group. I try and celebrate when we kick a goal and take the game on where I can and not be silly with it.

“I really enjoy the role I play and I’ve sought it.”

And in the long term, Blease just wants to keep building on all areas of his game.

“I’m always going to play to my strengths - my speed, kicking ability and the excitement I try and bring each week - they’re probably my strengths and I was probably born with that. It comes naturally,” he said.

“I just want to build on the things that I’m not so good at, so I’m a well rounded player.”