FOR someone with a strapping build like Will Minson, it's hard to believe something as simple as the way he stands stopped him from performing at his peak in 2007.

The 22-year-old was plagued by back problems last season which restricted him to six senior appearances.

Having battled a back-related thigh strain during the off-season, Minson believes rectifying his posture could be the key to keeping him on the field this season.

"The back is the beginning of everything. I could have a sore toe and it would be coming from my back," he told westernbulldogs.com.au.

"It's just how it is with me. I've got to sit better, stand better, walk better, run better and make sure my posture improves, which is what they've told me will keep me on the track.

"I didn't have the best of years last year. I probably had every opportunity to get myself back in the side and I wasn't able to do so.

"I did get back in the side and then on the Friday night at training, I ruptured a disc in my back and that was the end of my season.

"I spent a long period in the off-season trying to get that fixed, and it was going very well before Christmas and I had a wonderful pre-season up until then, and things were looking good.

"Then, just after Boxing Day, I had a little reminder that I'm not 100 per cent cured and that set me back the first two weeks after Christmas."

Minson said the worst is behind him and "things are going well now" – so well, in fact, coach Rodney Eade said the ruckman-turned-forward will run out this Friday night.

The clash with the Bombers will enable the Dogs to see just how Minson will slot into his new role in attack, as new addition Ben Hudson will care of the big man duties.

"I've played forward in the past but it's only been as a ruckman who is resting in the forward line," he said.

"I kicked a couple of goals one day in a quarter, and I've kicked a handful of goals here and there, but that's always been as a ruckman when I've been given five or 10 minutes.

"Generally, when that's the case, you get 10 minutes and then if nothing happens, you're on the bench and then you go back into the ruck.

"That's a hard thing to do. It's very different from being the focal point when you can get up forward, stay up forward, [and if] things aren't happening but you stay there, and eventually something happens.

"I'm looking forward to spending more time up forward, because it's part of the game and last year, it was supposed to be the part of the game I improved and I didn't give myself any opportunity to do that.

"I was playing in the reserves and playing in the ruck, and now I'm looking forward to being up forward and being where the guys in the midfield can look up and say, 'There's Will'.

"It's going to be exciting to see how things evolve. It's what I've been training for all summer, and I'm just looking forward to it now."

So just how is it going to work with Minson, Scott Welsh, Brad Johnson, Robert Murphy, Daniel Giansiracusa, Jason Akermanis, Shaun Higgins and Cameron Wight all floating around goal?

"It's going to work well," Minson said.

"Within the forward line, we've all got different abilities. Some of us are better leaders, some of us are better markers, some of us are better tacklers, or better defensively.

"So, it's about having a strong forward line rather than the different players, and we're looking forward to combining well.

"Hopefully I can help them to mark the ball by creating space for them by clearing out their opposition players and protecting them a bit."