NORTH Melbourne ruckman Todd Goldstein is glad he'll have Daniel Currie supporting him on Sunday at the SCG after being double-teamed by the Sydney Swans in recent years.
 
Goldstein carried North's ruck division almost singlehandedly in the previous three seasons, primarily relying on key forward Drew Petrie for occasional support.
 
In that time, the Swans had one of the strongest ruck divisions in the competition with Shane Mumford and Mike Pyke.
 
North assistant coach Leigh Tudor was also then at the Swans and has since told Goldstein that Mumford and Pyke were given express instructions to run him off his feet.
 
Mumford left the Swans at the end of last season, but the Swans are again fielding two ruckman in 2014, with former Tiger Tom Derickx now supporting Pyke.
 
Ironically, Currie is a former Swan himself, having spent 2007-2011 with the club for just five NAB Cup games.
 
Goldstein told AFL.com.au this week Currie had given the Roos more flexibility this year since making his AFL debut in round two against the Western Bulldogs.
 
"'Lurker' (Tudor) was saying that last year [the Swans] were planning to run me a lot, so it will be good to have 'Cuz' (Currie) this year to give me a bit more of a break and let me go forward at stages," Goldstein said.
 
"I'm confident I can run out a game on my own, but I think Dan give us that little bit more flexibility.
 
"I think the main thing is it stops Drew Petrie having to go into the ruck.
 
"He's one of the best key forwards in the competition and you don't want him exerting too much effort in the ruck or getting injured."
 
North coach Brad Scott has been reluctant to play two ruckmen in the Roos' team since the introduction of the substitute rule in 2011.
 
Goldstein and former Roo Hamish McIntosh teamed together in five of North's first seven games in 2012 with mixed results. But when McIntosh went down with a season-ending knee injury in round seven that year, Goldstein resumed as North's sole ruckman.
 
However, Currie's outstanding form in match practice this pre-season forced Scott's hand.
 
The Roos coach maintains that for the Goldstein-Currie partnership to work the pair have to pose a threat when 'resting' in attack.
 
Currie has kicked just one goal in his two games, but could have had an impact in attack last Sunday against the Power if he had hung onto to several marking attempts inside the Roos' forward 50.
 
"We know exactly how good Dan's hands are, he's a great mark at training. We know he's very close to having that breakout game," Goldstein said.
 
"It's pleasing he's getting to the contests. We know that they're going to stick eventually."
 
Goldstein said he was enjoying his partnership with Currie and was confident it would only get better.
 
"It's still probably going to take us a little while to get our synergy together," he said.
 
"Drew and I have played over 50 games together so we've worked pretty well together, so Dan and I have just got to get used to it.
 
"In the past, the thing I probably haven't done with the second ruck helping me is know how hard I can push myself.
 
"But each week we seem to be getting better and better. It's just a matter of time before it all clicks into place.
 
Twitter: @AFL_Nick.