DOMINANT Fremantle big man Aaron Sandilands says he wants to spend more time forward as he continues to emerge as the AFL's best ruckman. 

Sandilands has pushed forward to kick at least one goal in nine of his last 11 games, all while averaging a league-high 33 hit-outs. 

He is likely to move off the bench and into the No.1 ruck position when this year's All-Australian team is named, but the 26-year-old said becoming more effective when he is pushed forward is his focus at the moment.  

"It's an area I want to get better at and it's a good place to be – rather than the bench I'd rather be in the forward line," Sandilands said from Fremantle Oval on Tuesday.

"I've done a fair bit of work on my marking and I'm starting to spend a bit more time up forward, so hopefully I can kick a few more goals."

Sandilands dragged Fremantle to its fifth straight western derby win in round 17, snapping a nine game losing streak and delivering six young players their first wins with the club.

His 30 possessions, 31 hit-outs and eight clearances earned him the Ross Glendinning Medal as best afield and he said missing the last two games with a hamstring injury had helped.

"That couple of weeks freshened me up ... the body was a bit sore up to that point," Sandilands said.

"I rested up for a couple of weeks and felt really good on the weekend. I pulled up really well and I'm looking forward to taking on the Bulldogs."

First-year ruckman Zac Clarke was thrown the No.1 ruck spot against Adelaide in round 15 when Sandilands was injured and, despite the baptism of fire, the master said his apprentice had shown great promise.

"Zac's going to be a very important player for the footy club, and if we can start to get a really good relationship going with times that we can both spend out on the field, the better off we're going to be," Sandilands said. 

"When he first got to the club he told me I had 12 months before he was going to take my spot and when I missed a couple he said it only took him seven.

"He's a great young kid, he's got a huge amount of talent and I'm trying to help him out as much as possible."

Sandilands said he was in no rush to push through a contract extension beyond the 2010 season, despite the rich vein of form he has found.

"I haven't really thought about it too much – we've still got five rounds this year and a full season next year," he said.

"I'm sure at some stage in the next 12 months the club will sit down and have a chat."