Much scrutinised Sydney ruckman-forward Kurt Tippett is determined to strike the right balance between the two duties after a difficult end to the last AFL season.
At least three media outlets have nominated the Swan as a player under the pump in 2017.
Following an injury-plagued back half of 2016 in which his form was widely questioned and his goal output declined, Tippett is raring to go off the back of a "fantastic" pre-season.
His tally of 17 goals last year was the equal lowest of his career along with his debut season in 2008 with Adelaide.
He was in arguably career best form through the latter part of 2015 and first half of 2016. But things turned sour in mid-season when he missed eight matches with a hamstring tendon injury which required surgery.
Either side, he went a career-long six games without kicking a goal.
Three matches after returning, he suffered a hairline fracture of the jaw in a qualifying final and missed a semi-final, then just wasn't able to reproduce his sparkling early season form.
"You try and get back into games and find form as quickly as you can," Tippett told AAP on Wednesday.
"It was probably a little bit to do with the role I was playing as well.
"I was playing a lot of time in the ruck and putting a lot of energy there and probably hadn't kicked as many goals as I would have liked.
"So that's something for this year, to try and play both those roles really well and have that balanced role and contribute in both."
Like many Swans, Tippett was below his best in the grand final loss to the Western Bulldogs.
"We'd all like to impact the game more and we'd like to get the result on the biggest day of the year and we weren't able to do that," Tippett said.
He says he couldn't have asked for more from a great pre-season.
"I was able to do all the work and play in all the JLT games," he said. "It gives you a lot of confidence and continuity in football is a really big thing."
Sydney's ruckman contingent will again include Sam Naismith and Callum Sinclair but an infection to a lacerated finger has denied 2016 draft pick and ruckman-forward Darcy Cameron a chance of debuting in the opening round against Port Adelaide at the SCG on Saturday.
Share
