If you’ll pardon the pun, Luke McGuane hasn’t looked back since his switch to the Richmond forward line in the second half of last season.

McGuane, who had spent the first six and a half years of his AFL career as a tall defender, kicked 15 goals from nine games up forward in season 2012.  And, he has added a further four goals from the opening two games of the 2013 season.

That’s a combined total of 19 goals from 11 games, which (if he plays each match) translates to a 35-40 goal season.

Throw in the hard, bullocking work McGuane’s doing across the forward line, and it’s clear he’s become a particularly valuable member of the Tigers’ line-up. 

The 26-year-old veteran of 95 league games is loving his reincarnation as a forward – particularly the extra freedom it provides him with.

“I’ve enjoyed the change, the freshen up, I suppose,” McGuane said.

“I got drafted as a forward, so it’s good to get down there . . .

“You can fly with a bit more confidence up forward knowing that if you bring it to ground our crumbers are hopefully going to get hold of it.  Whereas, when I used to fly up back, it was their crumbers that would get hold of it, and I’d be in trouble for dropping it.”

McGuane paid credit to the role played by the Club’s forwards coach, Mark Williams, in his football transformation.

“Mark Williams came along and said, ‘let’s get you back up forward’, and Damien (Hardwick) was really good about it.

“Iniitally, it was for forward pressure because I like to compete.  So they put me up there and I’ve enjoyed it and am now starting to get some rewards on the end of it.  And, I’m enjoying working with Jack (Riewoldt) and Ty (Vickery) . . .

“I just need to play my role and that’s what I always concentrate on most.

“Jack’s obviously the spearhead of the side, but at some stages we all play a role, we all end up on the scoreboard.”