SHANE Kersten is revelling in his new role as a forward whose key brief is to pressure the opposition.

The 22-year-old West Australian came into the Cats' side for the round five clash against Richmond, and he will make it five games on the trot when by lining up against the Eagles in Perth on Sunday.

"Probably got a little bit fortunate, only playing one game in the VFL, and now I've got my spot in the team," Kersten said at Simonds Stadium on Thursday morning.

"So I've just got to grab it with both hands and hopefully stay in there for the rest of the year.

"You don't want to be playing VFL footy your whole career. AFL footy's the goal."

Kersten is enjoying the presence of Mitch Clark in the Cats' forward line.

"He takes the second key defender, or even the first one at some stages in the game, so I don't have the big gorilla on me a lot of the time.

"I tend to get a smaller opponent, and I probably have a different role in the side this year compared to what I had at stages last year."

That new role, which is centred around 'pressure acts' that help keep the ball locked in Geelong's forward 50, has given Kersten "a new lease of life. It's been good.

"I'm in the team to put pressure on, and it's something I've been working on since I arrived at the club.

"It's about being more defensive-minded and making quicker defensive decisions, then my attacking stuff will come off the back of that.

"As long as I am doing that I will stay involved, and that's the main aim.

"I'm not someone who's going to come in and have 20 disposals.

"But as long as I'm doing those pressure acts and keeping the ball in the forward line [I'm doing my job].

"At the end of the day, if we kick goals it doesn't matter who kicks them."

Kersten produced one of his best performances this year when he tallied 13 disposals and two goals against Carlton last weekend.

Now he is hoping to play similarly well when he returns to his home state and takes on the Eagles.

"I haven't been home for probably six months now, so to get and play in front of family is going to be a good opportunity, and one I'm looking forward to," he said.

 "[The Eagles] have got a lot of young guys in the team that are taking the game on, so we've got to show them respect along with their more senior players."