Trent West must feel like a yoyo sometimes.

This season the ruckman has played four senior games to take his tally in three years to 11.

But they have been spread far and wide.

He played the first five games of 2008, round nine that season and didn’t appear again until round 3, 2009.

That match against Collingwood was his only appearance for 2009 until he was elevated again for rounds 12, 13 and 14 this season before being dropped again.

Last weekend’s round 18 clash at ANZ Stadium against the Swans was West’s fourth game for the season.

“It has been a little bit like that (a yoyo) but there have been players coming in and going out with injury so you’ve got to keep putting your name up there,” West said.

He said training as a key forward in the pre-season and spending time up forward at VFL level was helping his prospects.

“I really enjoy going down there. The biggest change for me is to have an influence as a forward and play a role,” he said.

“Up until this year I had gone down there for little stints, this year I have gone down there with a different mindset, to play a key role as a forward and be able to alongside Pods, Moons and Stevie.

“They tell me where to go and what to do and I’m loving it getting down there.”

He said the fact he spent a couple of days travelling with the team to Sydney had also helped him feel like he was making headway.

“It was good to get away for a few days on the weekend and be able to talk to the other guys and ask them about things with some time,” he said.

“You feel more part of it every time you get to play in there.

“My role was for the majority as a ruckman, helping out Otto, trying to have an influence on the game, getting my hand on the ball and following up with tackles, blocking or whatever.

“Nowadays, especially for ruckman but everyone on the ground really has to be able to everything so I have been trying to work on that side of my game - it is something you have got to do.”

Unfortunately, West’s great mate Mark Blake was the player to make way last weekend.

“We get on well so there is no problem,” West said.

“I didn’t speak about football with him but I spoke about other things (after he was dropped).”

And West has a simple philosophy on what he can do to keep his spot in the senior side.

“Just doing my part for the team and doing a little bit more every week and trying to take that next step up and improve a little bit each game, keep having more of an impact.”

The more magic team goals - like the one he handed off to Travis Varcoe with some ground-level work at half forward on Saturday night - would also help his cause.

“Travie does some special things so if he is running nearby, you just try and get it to him and let him do his stuff,” West said.