NORTH Melbourne's recent pre-season injury blows have been softened by the news key-position prospect Robbie Tarrant seems to have finally thrown the injury curse that plagued him for much of his first three seasons at Arden Street.

While key defender Nathan Grima (back), ruckman Hamish McIntosh and young midfielder Ryan Bastinac have all just had surgery that's likely to sideline them for the start of the 2011 premiership season, Tarrant is excitedly eyeing North's intra-club practice match in Ballart on February 9.

Tarrant spoke with afl.com.au after the Kangaroos trained at Arden Street on Friday and said his body had stood up well to all the demands pre-season training had thrown at it.

"The body feels as good as it can at the minute. I just can’t wait for the games to start really," Tarrant said.

"I had significant surgery two years ago to my left shoulder but it feels really good and I haven’t had any dramas with it since. I also had minor hip surgery at the end of last season and my hips are feeling really good now too."

If anyone was due for a change of luck with injury it was Tarrant.

Selected by the Roos with pick No. 15 in the 2007 NAB AFL Draft, he underwent three shoulder reconstructions in his first two seasons at the club. Then, last year, after finally making his AFL debut in round 15 against the Sydney Swans, he broke his thumb the following week against Richmond and did not play again for the year.

Having played most of his junior football as a key forward, Tarrant has increasingly been groomed as a backmen in recent seasons, a role he says he is becoming more and more comfortable with.

"I’ve done the whole pre-season as a back so I’m starting to get a bit of confidence down there but I’m happy either end of the ground," Tarrant said.

Ironically, Grima's injury will probably give Tarrant the chance to cement a position in North’s back six.

"Unfortunately for 'Narni' [Grima] he's had his back operation. He's hoping to come back by round one but, if not, hopefully myself or [third-year rookie] Luke Delaney can step in and play a role and we'll be OK."
 
Tarrant said the two AFL games he played last year gave him confidence he belonged at the game's elite level.

He acknowledged he is still learning the game but said he planned to call on one of the game's elite defenders for advice this year, a player who has also made the transition from the forward line to defence - his brother Chris, who moved from Fremantle to Collingwood at the end of last season.

"We talk a little bit (about football) but it was hard last year when he was at Freo because he didn't get to see many of my games when I was playing in the VFL," he said.

"This year he'll be able to help me out a little bit more because he'll be able to see my games. I’ve spoken to him a little bit about (playing in defence) but the coaches here, guys like Shane Watson and Jason Lappin, have been fantastic."

While reluctant to set personal goals for the 2011 season, Tarrant said the club had no such qualms - the players want, and expect, to play finals.

"We haven’t actually spoken about it at this stage but it's kind of the first year where we think we're going to make the finals rather than just hoping to make them,' he said.

"Our core group of three to four-year players is starting to come through now and that's the group that needs to step up and perform if we're going to make finals.

"There's competition for spots all other the ground. It's a good atmosphere around the club." 

Tarrant was also full of praise for the Roos' first two picks in last year's national draft, Shaun Atley and Kieran Harper.

"[Atley] is training pretty well at the minute. He's got a fair bit of pace off the half-back line and when he gets the ball and breaks the lines he looks pretty good," he said.

"Down the other end we've got 'Harps' who is pretty freakish. He does things that other people just can’t do."