Sydney Swans big man Kurt Tippett is looking to further develop his ruck skills over the pre-season as he aims to spend more time in the role during 2016.
Following the retirement of Mike Pyke the 203cm big man looks set to spend more time through the middle of the ground in partnership with new recruit Callum Sinclair.
After a slow start to the season Tippett finished the season strongly plying his trade between the ruck and the forward line.
The 28-year-old said he had enjoyed playing more time on the ball and was hoping to do so again in 2016.
“I will be looking to play both roles again but it depends on the coach as he is the boss,” Tippett told SwansTV.
“I am happy to play whatever role the team needs at the time but moving forward I am looking to develop both sets of skills to be able to play both roles.”
Tippett said he was pleased with the way he settled into his new role as the season progressed.
“I think my second half of the season was better than my first as I felt like I built into the role as a ruckman and a forward,” he said.
“I was happy with my second half of the year.”
“The first half of the year was a little disappointing but hopefully with another good pre-season I can hit the ground running to start next season off really well.”
Tippett was hampered by an injury in the lead up to the start of the 2015 season which hindered his pre-season training regime.
He is hopeful after a season without any significant injury concerns he can have an uninterrupted preparation to the 2016 season.
“Continuity is one of the most important things in football so you aim to be able to have a good training block and then launch into the season.”
“Unfortunately my pre-season was a little bit inhibited after hurting my leg in the first pre-season game and then missing the rest of the pre-season games is not ideal but that is football.”
“I was able to build into it later in the year so hopefully next pre-season is a good one and I can flow straight into the season.”
Tippett will join his senior teammates when they return to the track for pre-season training in early December.
