PLAYING on two of the competition's top three goalkickers in consecutive weeks is no easy feat - in anyone's language.

Even more so when you've just reached double-figure matches when playing on the duo.

Well, that's the scenario emerging Melbourne key defender James Frawley confronted in the past two rounds, having spent time on Carlton's Brendan Fevola in round five and playing on Brisbane’s Daniel Bradshaw last week.

Although Fevola and Bradshaw kicked seven and six goals respectively against Melbourne, Frawley, who notched up his 11th AFL match last Sunday, relished the opportunity to line-up against some of the best key forwards in the business.   

"Last week against Bradshaw, I didn't do too badly, but he was just too strong for me," Frawley said.

"If I had a bit more size and could've stopped him in one-on-ones, he probably would've only kicked two or three [goals], which wouldn't have been too bad, but I've got to get in the gym and keep working harder than I ever have.

"Sean Wellman, our backline coach, has helped me out a fair bit and we've taken a lot of positives out of the match, but I've still got things to work on and improve on, so I've got to keep getting better."

Frawley, who played nine matches in his debut season last year, has showed enough genuine signs during his previous two outings to suggest he has the ability to hold down a key defensive post long-term - a position the club is eager to nail down.

So does Frawley, a first-round draftee (No.12 overall) selected from the North Ballarat Rebels in the 2006 NAB AFL Draft, feel any pressure about being touted as the one to fill this void?

"I read a bit in the paper [about Melbourne needing a key defender], but I didn't know that before I got here. I don't take too much notice. I just try and play good footy," Frawley, who is the nephew of former St Kilda captain Danny Frawley, said.

Still, before setting his sights on becoming a key back for Melbourne, Frawley had more immediate hurdles to overcome - such as moving from the country, learning to cook and overcoming a foot stress fracture.

"When I got drafted, I didn't know anyone from Melbourne and I thought: 'Who are these blokes', but I hit it off straight away with Ricky Petterd and we're pretty close," Frawley said.
"The other guys who were drafted [in 2006] - Colin [Garland] and Isaac [Weetra] - are pretty quiet, but they're starting to come out of their shell now.

"It wasn't as bad as I thought actually [moving from the country]. Cooking has been the hardest thing. You've got to eat something and if it tastes bad, you've got to quickly work out how to cook it, because otherwise you have to eat it.

"The first six months I was with a host family and they were really good.

"I started last season off not going too bad, but then I was struck down with the injury and it was pretty hard doing the rehab, but you get through it and it probably makes you stronger mentally and it prepares you more for AFL footy."

Frawley missed the opening six matches last season with his foot injury, before he made his AFL debut against North Melbourne in round nine, under former coach Neale Daniher, who was keen to blood the team’s younger players.

"It was good [to have Daniher's support]. When I came back [from the injury] I lacked a bit of fitness, as I only played one or two games in the VFL, so that probably hindered me a little bit. But I was happy to get a game straight away."

Fast forward to 2008 and Frawley again battled a foot complaint - unrelated to his previous problem - during the NAB Cup and then an illness. He also started the season with Sandringham in the VFL, which made him take stock of where he was at.

"It was the day before the Geelong [NAB Cup] game and I was just kicking the footy before training and then I felt my foot go a bit funny and I told the doctor and I couldn't run on it the next day," Frawley said.

"I didn't play that week and I probably would've been right the next week, but I got struck with the flu, which was a bit of bad luck and then I came back against North Melbourne and then went back to Sandy and that was good for me.

"I was hoping to play most of the games this year and I didn't get a game at the start, so it made me think about it and it made me train harder and work harder at everything.

"Since I've been back in, it's been great with 'Riv' [Jared Rivers] and [Nathan] Carroll down back - they helped me out a fair bit - so that's been good."

And now he is back in the side, what are his aspirations for the rest of the season?

"Hopefully we'll get a few wins together and get the boys' confidence up and hopefully I'll get some experience in the full-back role and get some more games under my belt," Frawley said.