Fremantle’s Ryan Crowley has revealed how he shed 8kg over the course of the pre-season in a bid to regain a spot in the club’s midfield.

Crowley had beefed up before the 2011 season for a new role as a defensive forward.

But the arrival of Ross Lyon as the club’s senior coach brought with it a plan to get the 28-year-old back into the midfield as a tagger.

"I got drafted as a midfielder and I always wanted to play as a midfielder,” he said.

Crowley set himself for a big pre-season, pulling his weights program back and changing his diet.

The results have been evident so far in 2012.

"I feel like later in games, my run's still there, which is good,” he said.

"Getting from contest to contest, playing in the midfield, if you're eight kilos lighter, it's going to be easier.”

Crowley had a lot of praise for Lyon, who he said had given him plenty of confidence and belief.

“Ross is a very positive guy and he’s the sort of person who, when he says something, you listen to him,” Crowley said.

“He has shown a bit of faith in me.

“A bit of faith goes a long way.”