Life as a ruckman can be tough - especially when your competition is in the best form of his career.

Daniel Currie is currently playing the quality of football that would arguably see him playing in the seniors at many other AFL clubs.

But with Todd Goldstein dominating, Currie continues to wait in the wings at VFL level.

“Players can sometimes drop their bundle, but Dan’s very much a self-starter,” Senior Development Coach Gavin Brown told NMFC.com.au.

“He’s very diligent and professional about the way he prepares for his footy. He knows that right now he’s in pretty good form and he’s deserving of an opportunity at AFL level, but unfortunately it’s not coming his way.”

On Sunday, Currie was labelled ‘best-on-ground, without a doubt’ for Werribee, amassing 49 hit-outs to take his season total to 171 over four rounds.

The 26-year-old is doing everything right, should a chance present.

“I’ve been pretty pleased with the way I’ve started (the season) and I feel like I’m in consistent good form,” Currie said.

“I’m obviously trying to force my way into the side through my performances. Realistically I understand the situation, Goldy’s probably in All-Australian form and we only play the one ruckman. He has the majority of game time with a key-forward backing him up.

“I’ve just got to keep playing well so that if an opportunity does come up in the near future, I’m ready to go.”

It’s almost impossible for a player to maintain Currie’s current level of form for an entire season, but consistency will hold him in good stead, according to Brown.

“We say this to every player; that you’re not always going to be at your best all the time,” Brown said.

“But at a bare minimum, you have your best, your worst and then your ‘in-between’ about half-way. You always have to keep your nose above that in-between line to give yourself an opportunity.

“He (Currie) knows that he doesn’t have to be in career-best form, even though he’s going really well at the moment and he’s definitely ready.

“As long as he’s ticking the boxes he needs to and he’s playing an acceptable brand of footy, he’s still going to give himself the best possible chance to play.”

In Currie’s time at Werribee he has consistently been an important performer in the ruck, providing his midfielders first use.

But in 2015, he’s taken his game to another level.

“Even in my first year I was runner-up in the best and fairest, even though I missed a few games,” Currie added.

“In terms of what I’ve been focusing on and implementing from week to week, it’s been pretty pleasing the way I’ve been playing.

“I’m ready to play and craving an opportunity, but I understand the situation and I can only control what I can control.”

The popular Kangaroo, who Brown describes as ‘a good team man’, will continue to do everything possible to earn a recall to the AFL side. In his current form, he could become impossible to ignore.

“He’s a self-starter and he’s a realist and those things are very important to have,” Brown added.

“I’m really impressed with his attitude and the way he’s going about it. He’s level, he’s a professional and he’s well placed to take his chance.”