It has now been two months since Jack Sinclair returned to the senior team and moved to a wing by chance more than anything else.

Since that day down at University of Tasmania Stadium, the 22-year-old has played the last eight games in a different role to the one he spent his first two years at the club playing.

After collecting a career-high 26 touches in the 31-point win against Gold Coast on Sunday night, Sinclair has tightened his grip on a spot in the Saints midfield, where he has averaged 20.3 possessions in 2017.

Sinclair, who inherited Robert Harvey’s iconic No. 35 at the end of last year, believes his improvement has come from a positional change that allows him to utilise his strengths.

“I think (improvement has come from) just being given some freedom going up the ground a bit onto the wing,” Sinclair said at a press conference on Tuesday.

“I think naturally I’m probably a midfielder so it’s been good to spend some time up there.

“I feel like when I’ve got the ball I make pretty good decisions so if I can get the ball in my hands more I’m going to use it pretty well and going to help the team.”

Monday Wash-Up: Round 14 v Gold Coast

In all the years Sinclair has played this game, he has only gone one winter without Jack Billings by his side. That came in 2014 when Sinclair was overlooked in the previous draft and forced to earn an opportunity the hard way at the Oakleigh Chargers and PortMelbourne.

Sinclair and Billings started at Auskick together, before progressing to the Kew Comets in Melbourne’s east. They played at Scotch College and the Oakleigh Chargers, before reacquainting themselves at Linen House Centre.

With both players reaching new heights in recent months, Sinclair says he has loved sharing this part of the journey with one of his best mates and someone who has been there every step of the way.

“I’ve been playing with him since Auskick across all sports and obviously went to school together,” Sinclair said.

“I think there’s been one year we haven’t played together – when he got drafted and I didn’t. I love being around him and it’s certainly made coming here really easy for me.

“He just finds the ball no matter what position he’s playing; even as a small forward he’s still racking up 30 touches and been really damaging on the scoreboard.

“He’s obviously really good when he gets the ball in his hands, but his defence stuff, his pressure (has been really positive).”