Ben Ronke this year carved out a breakthrough season and the Sydney Swans young gun hopes to use it as a launchpad to soar to greater heights in 2019.

Sydney’s first- to fifth-players players hit ‘start’ on the second week of pre-season training at Bat and Ball Oval on Monday, with Ronke sweating his way through a series of running efforts, boxing drills and kicking exercises.

The 20-year-old signed with the Swans as a rookie in November 2016 and says he’s looking to build on his rock-solid 2018 campaign.

“I want to try and use season 2018 as a foundation and as a building block,” Ronke told SwansTV.

“I want to learn from that. I don’t want to be content with my 2018 season – I want to build on that. I want to put together another strong pre-season and attack the 2019 season in a good shape.”

Ronke this year reaped the rewards of his first two pre-seasons in red and white, earning his AFL debut, playing 18 senior games and claiming an AFL Rising Star nomination.

The Calder Cannons product booted 24 goals and injected a cyclone of pressure in Sydney’s forward 50, averaging four tackles per game and recording 10 in Round 8.

Ronke joined experienced duo Lance Franklin and Kieren Jack in the Swans’ forward 50 in 2018 and says he leans on Sydney’s elder statesmen on the training deck. 

“I try and soak up as much as I can from the older boys and the aim is trying to find as much consistency as you can and doing everything right for your body. Then you can stay on the track for as long as possible,” Ronke said.

“It comes down to what you’re doing in training. You’ve got to keep your body in the best nick so you can train for long periods of time and get yourself right for the footy season.”

The Swans’ more experienced brigade will return to the Club next Monday, joining the likes of Ronke, Isaac Heeney and Will Hayward two weeks after the youngsters dusted off the boots for the pre-season grind.

While Ronke is in the early days of his third pre-season as an AFL footballer, 300-game veteran Jarrad McVeigh is on the cusp of his 17^th.

Ronke said the return of the more experienced Swans would raise the bar at training.

“It always lifts again when those guys rock up,” Ronke said.

“The leadership, the experience and the intensity all lift, so it’ll be good to have them back. Training will go to another level.”