Forward-turned-defender Robbie Tarrant is hoping his good form on the training track will translate into more games for North this season.

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After performing solidly in defence in the club’s pre-season game sense training sessions, the 25-year-old has spent time in his new-found role during the past two NAB Challenge matches.

Tarrant said he is slowly becoming accustomed to working with his fellow defenders and forming part of the Roos’ back six.

“The first game (against Adelaide) I was definitely rusty like the majority of the boys on both sides ... but I think on the weekend having ‘Turbo’ (Scott Thompson) and ‘Spud’ (Michael Firrito) next to me was a really good experience, which made it a little bit easier,” Tarrant told NMFC.com.au.

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Both Thompson and Firrito, who played their first competitive games for the year last Sunday, have helped settle any early-season nerves for the emerging defenders.

“The composure they provide rubs off on yourself and calms things down a little bit, and if you’re not sure about your positioning they’ll quickly chuck you in the right spots,” Tarrant said.

The number 25 has brought strong defensive pressure in the Roos’ NAB Challenge hit-outs, often generating some run from defensive 50 – and is aiming to use this asset to his advantage.

“If I (play on) a bit more of a runner, I can keep up a little bit better so it’s something I can use offensively as well and look to build on,” he said.

But the 196cm backman said one of the biggest differences of playing down back compared to up forward has been adjusting to the opposition’s attacking game plan.

“I’ve got to adapt to other teams’ game styles a fair bit and I think I found that hard against Adelaide. Training against us (his teammates) for three months, I knew what was going to happen (but) against them I didn’t really know,” he said.

With fitness on his side, Tarrant’s next objective is to put his injury-interrupted 2014 campaign behind him and add to his 39-game AFL tally.

“I’ve trained well for the last three months and (I’m) slowly getting the hang of things in defence, and hopefully I get a good run at it now,” he said.

“I think (the leg injury has) passed me now and I’m just really looking forward to the year ahead.”