Sam Naismith is hoping to add a new dimension to his game this season, with the Sydney Swans rookie ruckman aiming to improve his proficiency as a forward.

Following his best performance of 2014, which saw the 203-centimetre Swan pick up 22 disposals, eight marks and a goal in the Swans reserves’ 24-point win over Belconnen last Saturday, Naismith said he had his sights set on become a more well-rounded player during the remainder of the season.

“When I started playing football I was pretty much just a tap ruckman and then every now and then I’d play in the forward line,” Naismith told sydneyswans.com.au.

“Now I’m up in Sydney, it’s a bit more serious and I need to practice because at the start of the year I wasn’t taking too many marks.

“I know that’s what I need to learn to take my game to the next level.”

Naismith’s ruck work was also on show in the Swans reserves’ win over the Magpies, with the 22-year-old collecting a game-high 33 hit-outs for the match.

In the absence of Tom Derickx (senior emergency) and Toby Nankervis (fractured finger), Naismith said he relished the opportunity to take on more on-field responsibility.

“It was good to be out there and make a bit of an impact,” he said.

“I really enjoyed the chance to have a really good hit-out in the ruck.

“It was good to have that responsibility and to have to step up a bit.”

While Naismith’s form has been improving with every match this season, the young ruckman’s biggest obstacle in the last two seasons has been his battle with injury.

After producing a promising pre-season in his first year at the club, knee and thumb injuries sidelined Naismith for the majority of 2013.

This year, after earning an opportunity in the Swans’ NAB Challenge campaign, Naismith was again set back early in the season after tearing his medial ligament, which saw him sidelined for more than a month.

While improving his all-round game was a priority, Naismith admitted that first and foremost he needed to get his body right.

“Last year I had 21 weeks off, but I was lucky enough to squeeze in a few games at the end,” he said.

“Then this year I tore my medial ligament in round three and I was out for a few games with that.

“It was just frustrating because I was just starting to play into a little bit of form.

“I just need to get out on the park playing week in, week out, because that’s how I’ll improve.

“I just need to make sure I’m out training each week and looking after my body.”

Naismith added that the rise of fellow ruckman Derickx, who battled serious leg injuries early in his career, had given him plenty of confidence about his ability to develop into a senior ruckman.

“Tommy’s season has absolutely given me some confidence,” he said.

“The club loves Tommy because he got in there and really gave a lot of effort.

“I know that’s what it takes, so I’m confident I can produce an effort like that too.

“The coaches don’t ask too much of me as long as I’m making a contest and having a red-hot crack, so that’s what I’m going to do.”