Pasini looks to build after successful return

It was a long 12-month journey for Swan Districts key defender Jake Pasini to return to the WAFL field, but now that he’s back he wants to keep building and hopes it’s just the start of the team creating some momentum in 2026.

Pasini ruptured his ACL in Round 5 last year against East Fremantle at Steel Blue Oval. While he was eyeing off being right to go for Round 1 of 2026, things didn’t all go smoothly in his recovery and rehabilitation.

While it was a tough way to return in one sense against the unbeaten Tigers and the Swans weren’t quite able to get over the line, Pasini was just thankful to be back out there with his teammates in the black-and-white jumper.

“It was a great feeling, it took me a while, though, to get my bearings back out there. I did have a run around in the Reserves against the state team the week before which was good and that got a bit of fitness back up,” Pasini said.

“It was great to be back out there with all the boys even if it was a tough game that’s for sure against Claremont. It was just great for me to get one under my belt and hopefully I can continue on from there.”

The rehab process

It was a long road back in the end from Pasini’s knee reconstruction and while he didn’t quite make it back onto the field in the timeframe he was hoping, he is just thankful it’s all over now and he has successfully made it back playing.

“It wasn’t as smooth sailing as I wanted it to be and I had a few hiccups,” Pasini said.

“I had to get an additional surgery just to give it a clean out and get a bit of a fluid taken out, and have a cortisone injection in there as well.

“So there was a few hiccups along the way and it did take a little bit longer than I sort of wanted it to, but I’m glad that I’ve got good support staff at the club looking after me.

“They got me back healthy in the appropriate way without me trying to rush it so I’m thankful for that now that I am back playing.”

Now focused on improving

Even though Pasini was thankful to be playing again out there against Claremont, what it did highlight to him was that he’s still got some work to do to get back into match condition and to get his game touch back.

However, he’s thankful to coach Andrew Pruyn and his staff that they had faith in him to put him straight back into the team. Now he’ll look to build on that first appearance back from here.

“There’s still plenty of fitness that I need to get myself back up to and my fitness is still probably way below par as to where it needs to be, but I’m glad that Pruey and the other coaching staff have the belief in me to come back and help the team out,” Pasini said.

“Hopefully we can build from here and get a few more key players back, and I can hopefully build on my game as well which will be nice.”

Sharing key defensive posts with Collins

All of a sudden the Swan Districts back-line looks a whole lot more of a stable unit with not only Pasini back there, but Will Collins returning too having been sidelined for a lot of the past 12 months as well.

With those two sharing the two key defensive posts, not only can Pasini see that it makes the team stronger but he’s also seen how much the other teammates appreciate their presence too.

“Even at training the last couple of weeks and being out there with Will and doing a few footy drills, just the way we gel with each other and we know how each other plays, and how the rest of the back-line plays,” Pasini said.

“So I think that helps us and it also helps out the other players down back as well. Speaking to someone like Jarv (Jarvis Pina), he talks about the confidence it gives everyone having us two back there and know what we’ve got to do and what we’re going to do with the football.

“I think it gives a lot of confidence to us and also the other players in the team as well so it’s promising signs.”

Team momentum on the way

Not only have Collins and Pasini now successfully returned, but full-forward Leigh Kohlmann also played his first game of the season against Claremont, significantly strengthening Swans at both ends of the field.

Then with reigning Jye Chalcraft getting closer to a return too, Pasini sees plenty of reason for optimism with Swan Districts that they can improve on the 1-4 record to start the season – and do it quickly.

“Especially knowing Jye will be coming back after missing a lot of football and Zane (Trew) as well who did miss a , and just having a good, strong midfield will help and even the depth we have at the moment is really good,” Pasini said.

“There are blokes playing great football so it’s going to be a tough one when guys are ready to come back in but it’s an exciting time for the club.

“We’ve also gone through a lot of vision with Pruey and in the games that we’ve lost, it’s on the back of our own mistakes. I think if we tidy up a few little things and get back to the way we wanna sort of play, we’re definitely a much better team than what we’re putting out at the moment.

“Everyone knows that and that’s probably why there’s a lot of belief still in the team and at the club that we’re a much better team than we’re showing at the moment, and we’ve got plenty to improve on.”