COLLINGWOOD'S Steele Sidebottom's career has taken another logical step this pre-season as he prepares for 2012 with the midfield group.

With 61 games, a premiership and a well-earned reputation as a big-game player achieved before he celebrated his 21st birthday last week, Sidebottom will be given the chance this season to progress from being a small forward to a midfield/wingman role.

Relishing the opportunity to learn from illustrious teammates within that midfield division such as Dane Swan and Scott Pendlebury, he is following new line coach, former champion midfielder and dual Brownlow medallist Robert Harvey's advice to "be at them all the time and learn as much as I can."

Sidebottom admits he has gained further appreciation for his midfield teammates' skill during this pre-season, watching the subtleties within their game and at stoppages at closer quarters. "[They're] just smart," said Sidebottom. "[They know] when to leave the guy and when to push off him to get to that space. 'Swanny' has been good for us young blokes, giving us tips whenever we need them."

While such a progression for Sidebottom appears natural, part of the development process that began when he arrived at the club as a skilled, relatively laid-back recruit in 2009 who was made to earn his spot, he still has plenty of physical maturing ahead. "I'm still a bit lean so I have to try to put my body mass on and obviously to get a bit stronger," he said. "When I first got to the club I was 79kgs and now I'm hovering around the 84 to 85kg mark so I have to put on a bit of weight."

The positive from a Collingwood perspective is that while he is putting on the additional weight Sidebottom's running power has remained.

In his 2km time trials his rare mixture of endurance and pace has pushed him to the front of the pack during this year's pre-season.

Once again he's been duelling on the running track with the Irish recruits, setting a cracking pace alongside the returning Marty Clarke and international rookie Paul Cribbin.

Immediately after returning to training in November. Sidebottom recorded 6m 20s for the 2000m. On that occasion both Clarke and Cribbin beat him home.

Early this week, following the Christmas break, he improved his time clocking 6m 10s but, again, did not do enough to win. "Marty pipped me again," he laughs, before suggesting he was just burning off a bit of the Christmas spread.

In between times - in the absence of Clarke and Cribbin - Sidebottom ran another 2km time trial as soon as he returned from Arizona, a trip he described as the most mentally challenging of his three journeys to the high altitude camp. Without the Irish around he recorded a personal best for the distance of 5m 59s.

It all adds up to a fit, enthusiastic Sidebottom, part way through his uncomplicated ambition to use the pre-season to "get as fit as possible" and well on the way to continuing his journey towards becoming one of the AFL's elite players during the next few seasons.