Richmond ruckman Orren Stephenson believes he is playing some of the best football of his career, at age 31.

The evergreen big man has been one of the shining lights in the first season of the Tigers’ stand-alone VFL team.

Despite being well aware that he is fighting for his spot in Richmond’s senior team with Ivan Maric and Shaun Hampson, the popular journeyman is always looking for his next opportunity at AFL level.

“I’m always challenging myself to work hard and push my name up there, I suppose,” Stephenson told K-Rock radio.

“I was pretty happy to get myself elevated at the start of the year, and play my one game against the Bulldogs.

“My form’s been pretty good, and I still think I’m improving.  You can say I’m getting older, but I feel like my VFL footy has been as good as I’ve ever played.

“But I’m fully realistic about what my role is in the team.  Obviously, I’m a bit of a back-up to the other guys.

“Ivan’s obviously a very good ruckman, and he’s been fantastic to the Richmond Footy Club since coming across from Adelaide.

“I just want to enjoy my time at Richmond, and that’s always been my approach to things.”

Stephenson has played eight games at VFL level so far this season, averaging 38 hitouts (including two games when he amassed 62 hitouts), four marks and three tackles per match.

He has also improved his work up forward, where he has booted 10 goals for the season, including bags of three in each of his past two outings.

For the second successive year, Stephenson was elevated to Richmond’s senior playing list before the start of the season, and has performed well when called up for his seven AFL games in total for the Tigers.

And, as has always been the case in his football career to date, his future is a year-by-year proposition.

“I’ll wait and see how it pans out.  It’s been the same sort of thing for me since I’ve been in the system,” he said.

“My body is very durable and I’ve been very lucky with injuries.

“I feel like I’m in my late 20s.  I’m enjoying training and everything else, so I’ll just wait and see how the rest of the year goes.”