With the Swans ruck stocks going from strength to strength in last year’s trade period, premiership ruckman Mike Pyke says he is looking forward to some more healthy competition in 2013.

Adding to the Swans’ already strong ruck department, which includes Pyke, Shane Mumford and Jesse White, the club also inserted 202cm forward/ruckman Kurt Tippett as well as 203cm rookie Sam Naismith to the club’s big-man ranks.

Pyke, who produced a break-out season in 2012, told SwansTV he was looking forward to again challenging the Swans’ ruck group for a place in the senior squad this season.

“Since I arrived at the club there has always been lots of competition in the ruck,” he said.

“Sammy (Naismith) is obviously really young and still learning the ropes and he’s been doing really well, and ‘Tippo’ (Kurt Tippett) is really strong and has a strong body and goes really well in the ruck.

“They are probably two different propositions but they are both good players.”

With a number of talented players making up the Swans ruck group, the Canadian said he needed to become a more versatile player in season 2013.

Pyke said he has split his focus this pre-season between ruck and forward roles, and is confident he will have to prove himself at both in order to secure his place in the team this year.

“I think that is sort of the reality for ruckmen in the modern era, in that you have to spend some time in the forward line,” he said.

“Whether I’m playing the majority of the time in the ruck or whether it’s the majority of time up forward, I’ll just play wherever they want me to, really.

“I think probably that as a forward/ruck you want to be taking your chances in front of goal, so I’m hoping to take some marks up forward and finish them off as well.”

The 28-year-old has completed a successful pre-season program to date and has taken part in the majority of sessions since returning to the club late last year.

Pyke said while he has been pleased with his efforts so far, the team’s upcoming intra-club match and pre-season competition will be a true test of where he is at ahead of season 2013.

“Obviously last year is finished now so you want to keep on going forward and for me it’s always about improving and taking little steps with my game but also not getting away from the basic stuff,” he said.

“I think you don’t really know where you’re at until you start playing games – training drills are one thing but games are a complete other story.”

Off the field, the ruckman is awaiting a new addition to the Pyke clan ahead of the season, with Pyke and wife Florencia expecting their first child in March.

Pyke said he hoped the new little Pyke would arrive before the season opener, but wasn’t concerned if he was a late comer.

“The little ‘Pykelette’ is coming and I think we’re looking towards the beginning of March, hopefully before the season starts but we don’t want to rush him, we want to make sure he’s well and truly baked in there,” he said.