St Kilda Coach Alan Richardson says Tom Hickey’s mobility around the ground is providing the Saints with an extra midfielder, such is the level of the big mans impact this season.

After earning first crack at the No. 1 ruck mantle against Port Adelaide in Round 1, Hickey hasn’t looked back, going from strength to strength with each passing week and establishing himself as a bona-fide ruckman in the process.

At Etihad Stadium on Sunday, the 25-year-old got the better of the competition’s leading ruckman, Max Gawn, limiting the incumbent All Australian influence, while collecting a career-high possession haul of 21, to go with 27 hitouts and four clearances.

“He’s had a ripper of a year, ‘Hick’,” Richardson told reporters in his post-match press conference on Sunday night.

“He plays as big man when it’s time to be big and that’s when the umpire throws the ball up. But it’s his around the ground stuff and his ability to put on pressure (that’s been so impressive).

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“He’s playing and training like a midfielder when the ball’s on the deck and he’s almost giving us another player in there at times.”

After only managing 11 games last season and 29 in his first three years at Linen House Centre, Hickey has played all 16 games thus far in 2016, emerging as one of the most improved players at the club.

Richardson believes the pressure for spots from below has been highly beneficial for Hickey this season, with Lewis Pierce forcing his way into the side for a debut this year, while Jason Holmes and Billy Longer have been forced to play at Sandringham.

“He’s had ‘Holmesy’ and ‘Lewy’ Pierce, and to a lesser extend Billy Longer, snapping at his heels and he’s continued to be strong,” Richardson said.

“So he’s working hard, he’s training hard, he’s getting some reward for his effort. He’s been a real positive for us this year, there’s no doubt about that.”

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