After two years spent either injured or out of favour, young Essendon on-baller Sam Lonergan is thankful new coach Matthew Knights arrived to spark his AFL career.

After making his AFL debut in 2006, Lonergan was expected to kick on but he suffered a serious ankle injury during last year's pre-season competition.

He then fell to a hamstring injury midway through the year in the VFL before he succumbed to a knee injury.

Compounding things, when Lonergan was fit, he was constantly on the fringe of the senior team, former Bombers coach Kevin Sheedy often naming him as an emergency.

But the appointment of Knights this season proved a boost for Lonergan, with the new coach a big believer in the Tasmanian's "in and under game" after working with him during his previous role as Bendigo Bombers coach.

Despite a full list to choose from, Knights declared Lonergan was in the club's best 22 for their first-round clash with North Melbourne.

Again underlining how highly he rates Lonergan, the coach brought him straight back into the team against Sydney in round eight after four weeks sidelined by a hamstring injury.

Lonergan, pick 50 in the 2005 national draft, held no grudges against Sheedy, but appreciated a coach with faith in his ability.

"The last two years have been upsetting with a few injuries, and you get down on yourself but to have Knights for that time - the belief he has given me through training and one on one is pretty special so to be in the round one side is the highlight of my career so far," Lonergan said.

"To have the respect of coming straight back into the side after a four week injury was a pretty good result.

"From where I was last year, I could not be happier with playing 10 out of the 14 games."

Admitting he was not the most gifted player, Lonergan said he was working hard, particularly on fitness and foot skills.

His lack of confidence in his kicking prompted a handball-first instinct.

"In the first four or five games, (handballing first rather than kicking) comes into my mind especially in the backline," Lonergan said.

"But you start to feel more comfortable and know that you belong in the side and you start to hit targets and feel confident in yourself and that grows over time until you become a marquee player where you continually hit targets."

But the 21-year-old's strength is work in close, putting defensive pressure on, with Hawthorn's Sam Mitchell a role model.

"He's an outstanding midfielder," Lonergan said.

"I think a lot of in and under players look up to him - I'd love to get to that stage over the next five to seven years but I'm a long way from it now and who knows if I get half as good as Sam I guess I'll contribute to the Essendon football Club."

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