Motivated to be able to one-day match it with the AFL’s best midfielders, Darcy Tucker is approaching the coming pre-season as another opportunity to add to his strength and fitness base.

The 20-year-old says he’s added between six to eight kilograms since his arrival at Fremantle with pick 27 in the 2015 National Draft, including condition he has put on since wrapping up the 2017 season with Freo, where he played 19 games.

“I probably added one or two kilos over the off-season but not too much,” Tucker said.

“I’m more looking to build my running speed and stuff like that.

“I’m probably about six, seven or eight kilos bigger than when I first arrived but I’m just going to try and build that running capacity to match it with AFL midfielders.”

Tucker has enjoyed his opportunities to show his pace on the wing but has an eye on a potential inside midfield role in the future.

“I’ve been playing on the wing the past couple of years and I like that role,” Tucker said.

“It’s good to get up and down the ground and help out the defence and have that running capacity as well to be able to play on the wing.

“I like being a winger and I’m happy to play half forward, half back wherever that may be and, hopefully, in the next couple of years become an inside midfielder. 

“I’m happy to play whatever role for the team at the moment, where Ross Lyon wants me and I’m really enjoying it.”

With those goals in mind, Tucker said building his strength and fitness was crucial as he heads into his third pre-season.

“I’ve found in my first year and even last year that some of the players you come up against are just absolute powerhouses, Dustin Martin, Dangerfield and even Fyfe,” Tucker said.

“If I wanted to become an inside midfielder I know I need that strength and that power, so I’m just here to build that core strength up and I think that’s really important in this modern day game.”