JACK Lukosius is about to move back to where it all began.
To the forward line that is.
During his third season in the AFL, Lukosius solidified his reputation as one of the most damaging kicks in the competition with his ball use from the back half of the ground.
The 21-year-old South Australian split his time between the wing and half-back, an "architect" of the Suns' ball movement from defence, finishing 10th in the club's best and fairest.
He averaged 20 disposals and eight marks last season and trailed only Daniel Rich and Marcus Bontempelli for total metres gained, most of which came from his prodigious right boot.
However, coach Stuart Dew told AFL.com.au he wanted to see that ball use forward of centre.
"When you're down back you're trying to pick apart 15 v 15, but if you're in the front half you're kicking to five v five or six v six," Dew said.
"Our ability to hit the scoreboard is one area we need to lift, and we think using his connection both going inside 50 and hitting the scoreboard will give us a bit of a spike in that area."
Lukosius is certainly no stranger to playing in the forward line – it was where he caught the eye of recruiters as a junior and led to him being taken by the Suns with pick No.2 in the 2018 NAB AFL Draft.
He played as a key forward for the first half of his first season but was outsized by opponents significantly older and significantly stronger and struggled to make an impact.
Since then Dew has switched Lukosius between wing and defence, but with 60 games to his name, says it's time to get closer to goal again.
"We think he's in a good place to impact games as a deep forward, high half-forward or wing, he's very flexible," Dew said.
"At times he was able to really kickstart our ball movement, but at other times he was trying to take on too much.
"He carried the load of being the key architect. We think we can maximise that in the front half."
While Dew wants the Suns to become a more potent scoring team – they were ranked last with 65 points a game in 2021 – his main focus is locking the ball inside 50 next season.
"Whether that's marking it or better fall-of-ball shape and our defence, how we set up in behind it," he said.
"It's one thing getting it in, but it's actually holding it in.
"Our repeat entries are low. It's how much pressure we put on and then how we're set up behind the ball."