Exciting St Kilda youngster Jack Billings is looking to put a frustrating season behind him by spending more time in the Saints engine room in 2016.

The former No. 3 draft pick was recruited as a long-term midfield option, but has spent the early stages of his career learning his craft across half-forward with small stints in the midfield.

Billings missed the entire second-half of 2015 due to a stress fracture in his shin, which limited him to just nine appearances for the year, putting a clamp on an impressive start to his time at Linen House Centre.

With that troublesome injury now behind him, the 20-year-old has spent the pre-season training with the midfield group expanding his arsenal of weapons, and is ready to take the next step with his football development this season.

“Hopefully throughout the NAB Challenge I’ll play up the ground a lot more. I guess with less rotations this year it’s going to mean I’m going to have to play up the ground,” Billings told reporters at a press conference.

“Versatility I think is one of my strengths, playing a variety of roles, I’m looking forward to that. Hopefully I can contribute.

“I’ve been with the mids all summer and I’ve worked closely with our midfield coach Adam Kingsley who is an extremely good coach and very well experienced.

“So he’s been pushing me hard and I’ve really enjoyed it. I’m learning stuff every day, hopefully I can play my role when I’m in there for the side.”

After a difficult 2014, the Saints took a significant step forward last season, with Alan Richardson’s side establishing itself as one of the best pressure applying sides in the competition.

Billings is confident St Kilda will improve again this year, identifying the clubs wave of youth, on the back of grinding another pre-season into their young body’s, as a driving force in where that improvement will come from.

“I think (improvement will come from) across the board. I think our defence and pressure was a lot better last year,” Billings said.

“Our ball use, we’ve been working on pretty hard over the summer, so hopefully that can help us.

“I guess from an age point of view, all the young guys with another pre-season under their belt can step up a little bit more and not rely on the older guys as much.”