COLIN Sylvia is widely regarded as one of Melbourne’s most talented players.

The midfielder/forward’s game arguably went to another level in 2009. Since then, he has produced some stunning individual performances, but has also battled injuries, fluctuating form and some suspensions - both match and club related. 

This year has been a combination of all of the above.

Sylvia’s pre-season was rocked before Christmas with a quadriceps injury and in Melbourne’s final NAB Cup match against Port Adelaide he suffered a back injury - two spinal fractures to be exact.

Sylvia then missed the opening three matches with his injury, and round four due to an off-field indiscretion carried over from October last year (he was supposed to miss round one, but, due to injury, didn’t). He then returned against St Kilda in round five as a substitute.

After playing the next four matches, Sylvia was dropped for round nine against Carlton.

But since returning in round 10 for Melbourne’s first win of the season over Essendon, Sylvia has played every match.

And since coming back from the mid-season break, Sylvia has hit his best patch of form for the season.

Against the Tigers at the MCG on Saturday, Sylvia produced his best match for 2012, collecting an equal team-best 25 touches and 12 contested possessions. He also laid seven tackles.

It was a strong, encouraging performance, which earned plaudits from coach Mark Neeld.

But Neeld also painted a picture of the difficulties that an AFL player faces coming back from injury - in this case, Sylvia, and the fluctuating form that followed. But he added the fact that Sylvia has now been able to play successive matches, which has helped his cause.

“He didn’t train prior to Christmas, and he came into the NAB [Cup] season underdone, and then he got injured in the last NAB [Cup] game,” he said.

“We chose to bring him straight back into the side and use the sub rule, so he’s playing catch up.

“I think that had a lot to do with it - he’s now able to put a number of consecutive games together and he’s played four weeks in a row in the midfield.

“His disposal count is up and his defensive pressure is good, so we’re starting to see the things that Colin can deliver when he’s had consistent footy. He just needs a fair run at it.”

For Sylvia, who played in the midfield against Richmond - he is likely to spend a greater time in there during the second half of the season - he too felt his game was making inroads.

“I’m probably starting to find a bit of consistency in my game now,” he said.

“I’m happy with the new role, getting up the ground a bit more, so there are eight games left and I’m looking forward to getting the most out of the rest of the year.”

In particular, Sylvia said the defensive side of his game was an area he had honed in on recently.

“[I’ve been working on] my defensive awareness around stoppages and our structures that we rate really highly around the club,” he said.

“It’s an area that I’ve been focusing on in the last four weeks.”

Sylvia has played 130 matches and remains a key part of Melbourne’s make-up.

He has shown he can play at the highest level and achieve elite results: four goals and 37 disposals against Hawthorn in 2009, five goals and 20 touches against Richmond in 2010, and five goals and 29 possessions against the Tigers in 2011 are just some of his standout performances in recent years.

With his form building and another eight rounds left in the season, Sylvia has the ability to produce those types of results.

And for all who love the red and blue, let’s hope there will be many more to come.