Carlton big man Shaun Hampson wants to become one of the best contested marks in the AFL.

It's certainly a lofty goal, but doesn't necessarily require a quantum leap in performance, given that when Hampson suffered a season-ending knee injury against Collingwood in round 15 last year he was just outside the top five in the league for contested marks.

The 201-centimetre forward/ruckman had taken 23 such grabs to be equal ninth in the competition, well adrift of league leader Travis Cloke (34) but within striking distance of eventual All Australians Lance Franklin and Tom Hawkins, who were equal fifth on 26.

Hampson had also taken more than twice as many contested marks as his nearest teammate, Matthew Kreuzer (11). (He missed the last eight games of the season and was eventually equalled by Kreuzer and pipped by Jarrad Waite's tally of 25).

The big Queenslander is locked in a three-way selection battle with fellow ruckmen Kreuzer and Robert Warnock and believes he can strengthen his chances at the selection table and add to the Blues' options by improving his marking.

"In the six or seven years I've been here I've always worked hard on my marking and I feel it's coming along well," he told AFL.com.au. 

"I'm always trying to improve so I'm really keen to take a few more this year.

"I think I led the way for Carlton in contested marks last year and I want to do that again, and hopefully be in the top three (or) five in the competition. If I can do that, it'll really help us as a team."

Hampson, who will turn 25 a week before the Blues' season-opener against Richmond, also plans to improve his goalkicking.

On raw statistics, it doesn't appear as though he has any real issues with converting. Last year he tallied 15.4. However, he admits this doesn't take into account shots that failed to register a score, including several that sailed out of bounds.

He regularly has about 10 shots at goal at the end of training sessions.

"Marking it is only half the job," he said. "Then you've got to kick the goal. Otherwise, what's the point?"

Hampson slotted 11.1 in the opening six rounds last year. He was also averaging 10 disposals, four marks and 24 hitouts. He was hot, and so were the Blues. 

But soon both came crashing back to earth.

Hampson damaged the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee for the second time in little more than 12 months. He did it in a marking contest.

"Dane Swan's back got me," he joked, before adopting a more serious tone.

"It's quite depressing when you’re playing some good footy and all of a sudden you've got to go through it all again – a few weeks of doing nothing, then a few weeks of doing just a little bit of exercise, and then you’re out of shape and you have to work yourself back into shape."

The 57-gamer is certainly back in shape. Striving to become a more imposing presence, particularly in marking duels, he has added about 3kgs of muscle. He now hits the scales at 105kgs – the heaviest at Carlton. He regards it as his optimum weight: heavy enough to hold his ground, but light enough to maintain his mobility.

His right knee is carrying the extra weight well. 

"The knee's pretty good. I always feel it a little bit; I think that's just part of the injury. But I can definitely play on it without any worries," he said.

Hampson has shown positive signs in both of the Blues' intra-club matches.

He spent the first half of the pre-season training with the forward line and lately has been working more with the midfield. He feels "pretty confident" about both roles. 

He has been told he will continue to play predominantly as a forward, with occasional stints in the ruck. That's also how Hampson views himself.

"I think that's where I've got the most to offer," he said. 

"I can be a big target up forward and then give the ruckman a spell. Hopefully that's what I've got going for me over the other boys."

Hampson says that in a perfect world he'd play like Drew Petrie when in attack and like Dean Cox when in the ruck.

He says he's not sure how the Blues' ruck situation will unfold but believes that it will ultimately benefit both the team and the three big men themselves.

"It keeps you on edge so you're almost thinking, 'Jeez, one or two bad games here and I could be out', so it just makes you more determined to play your role," he said. "But we also help each other out wherever we can."

Asked if he feels ready to take his game to the next level, Hampson said: "Yeah, I do. I felt ready last year as well, but I feel even more ready this year."

Hampson says he's "in a good headspace". Presumably, some of it can be attributed to his partner, Aussie supermodel Megan Gale.

"Megan will come to some club functions and get more attention than I do," he said. "But I don't mind that because I don’t like too much attention or limelight. I love playing footy – everything else that comes with it isn’t really my thing …

"Unfortunately, everything Megan does is scrutinised because she's one of the most recognisable female faces in Australia. But I really admire the way she handles it all because she's quite a private, reserved person, just like me. Any chance we get, we just try to keep things low-key."

Hampson's desire for privacy might be further compromised if he achieves his ambitious on-field goals. You can’t have everything, although some would say he already has. After all, he loves his job, he's getting better at it, and he's got the girl.

Shaun Hampson is a forward/ruckman in NAB AFL Fantasy. He averaged 64.92 points in 2012. Register your team at our AFL Fantasy Hub.

Follow AFL website reporter Ben Collins on Twitter at @AFL_BenCollins.