TOM De Koning is fully aware of the opportunity that has presented itself.

With Charlie Curnow going down with a knee injury and Matthew Kreuzer fracturing his fifth metatarsal, positions have opened up in Carlton’s forward and ruck divisions.

Naturally, the attention has turned to De Koning and Marc Pittonet: the obvious options especially given Kreuzer’s injury.

Having had his 2019 campaign interrupted in March, De Koning knows exactly what it’s like to lose time in the context of the season.

It’s why he’s “not going to take it for granted”.

“It opens up an opportunity for me. I’m going to work really hard to try and cement my spot in the team and get that position,” De Koning said on the WA Blues’ Breakfast with the Blues.

“In this period away from the club, I haven’t taken any days off and I’ve been working hard every day to make sure I’m ready.

“I’ve been lucky to have Sam [brother at Geelong] to kick the footy with and not lose any of that craft.”

De Koning looked primed to challenge for a senior spot in the opening stages of last year, before sustaining a knee injury which wiped out the first half of his season.

Now looking to get back in the senior fold for the first time since his debut year, he’s hoping to prove his wares in a position he feels is his most natural.

With a powerful leap and strong set of hands, De Koning has spent time up forward in early life as a Blue — however, the ruck is where he feels he belongs.

“All through my juniors, I grew up playing in the ruck.

“I really enjoy being around the ball and it comes a bit more naturally to me.

“When I first got to the Club, I was put down forward due to having a lot of ruckmen on the list and I probably wasn’t big enough and developed enough to play as the number one ruck.

“It’s good to be able to learn a couple of positions and be able to have the opportunity to be chosen in a couple of positions.”

Drafted with pick No.30 in the 2017 NAB AFL Draft, De Koning played two games in his debut year, impressing with the form he had shown in the VFL.

However, the conversation with De Koning - as is the case with all emerging key position players - is getting up to speed and dealing with the bigger bodies at senior level.

Having put on 10 kilograms since he was first drafted, De Koning said he still wants to maintain the features of his game which he hopes can be his point of difference.

“I’m weighing in at about 96-97kgs now… my last pre-season was probably the biggest jump. I put on about six or seven kilos,” he said.

“It’s not about putting on the size quickly for me: I still want to be able to be athletic, move around the ground and play to my strengths.

“I don’t want to be a big, bulky ruckman. I want to be able to jump and run.

“For me, it’s probably staying around this weight for the moment and once I’m fully developed, probably sit around the 100kg mark.”