A TOUGH run with injuries has largely defined Jordan Roughead's first season at Whitten Oval.

The 18-year-old ruckman has struggled to string games together following persistent shoulder problems and a corked thigh, and has therefore been restricted to just three senior VFL games.

His inability to showcase his talents has caused immense frustration.

"I thought I would be playing consistent VFL footy at this time of the year," Roughead told westernbulldogs.com.au, ahead of the VFL's round 15.

"In saying that, I'm naturally pretty confident so I was probably being a bit unrealistic in those hopes.

"It's very frustrating, just not having the continuity out on the ground and being able to get in form and then hold that form.

"I've been getting a bit of form and then miss a week and then I have to start from scratch again."

A torn posterior labrum in his shoulder sustained before the season has reared several times this year, while the thigh problem a fortnight ago derailed him once again.

Roughead said his inability to stay fit had affected his chances of playing more senior football, but had not swayed his hopes of finishing the year in the VFL firsts, or even pushing for a Bulldogs' debut.

"I want to stay on the track firstly, for the rest of this season, but I just want to try and get back in the Williamstown firsts and cement my spot there," he said.

"I'm still hoping for a chance to get into the Bulldogs team, but I'm not really expecting it to come.

"If it did, I would take the opportunity, but realistically, I'm just trying to string a few games together for Willy."

He has resigned himself to the fact his shoulder will most likely require arthroscopic surgery once the season is over, which will be his first football-related operation.

He has also realised he'll need quite a few things to go his way in order to earn a game in the AFL this year, such is the competitive nature of the Dogs' big man stocks.

"On the surface it's quite a friendly competition between all of us, but I think underneath we all want to be better than the next guy," he said.

"There is a lot of competition. In saying that, we all get along really well and do want to see each other succeed."

In order to increase his chances of a senior call up, Roughead has been working on his ruck work while remaining mindful of the importance of developing his forward game too.

"I work with Ben Hudson and Will Minson, and lately, Rob Murphy has helped me out a bit with leading patterns and that sort of thing in the forward line," he said.

"I've developing my forward game slowly but surely so hopefully one day I'll be able to say I'm not a big, dumb ruckman. That might take a couple of years yet.

"I'm perfectly happy developing as a ruckman. It's good to have a couple of strings to your bow, so I wouldn't want to develop into just a ruckman or just a forward,"

"I think it's critical to develop both aspects of my game."

Roughead is about to move in with fellow first-year player Ayce Cordy and rookie Henry White, with the trio renting a place in Spotswood.

He says the kitchen duties are sure to be an interesting endeavour, as he has been instructed to drop some bulk while Cordy had been directed to develop some. 

"Big Will tells Ayce to go home and eat a steak every day," he said.

"It's funny because I've put on eight kilos and I'm trying to lose a bit. I've lost two kilos in the past few weeks as I'm trying to keep my mobility on the field.

"We'll have to see how the cooking goes."