JAKE Spencer says the popular trend of playing one key ruckman in the 22 is a tough gig, but adds that it’s role he relishes playing.

Spencer, who has assumed the No.1 ruck mantle for the past month, said it was it was a genuine challenge rucking for most of the day, but a role that he understood.

“It can be tough, especially if the other team plays two genuine ruckman,” he told Dee TV.

“Against Hawthorn it was pretty tough, against two pretty good quality ruckmen.

“It was a bit easier on [last] weekend [against the Bulldogs], because they just had the one ruckman as well, so it made my job a bit easier.

“Pedo (Cam Pedersen) has been pretty good when he’s come in there and he may not be getting his hand on the ball, but he’s running the other ruckmen around and getting them tired for me, so at the moment, that seems to be working.”

Spencer, who along with Mark Jamar and Max Gawn form Melbourne’s key ruck stocks, said he was optimistic two genuine ruckmen could still play in the one said.

“We’ll keep working, if we’re down at VFL level, on being a presence up forward as well, so we can give ourselves the chance to play two ruckmen. At the moment, it’s just one, so we’ll keep working hard,” he said.

“That one ruckman makes it a tough job for us, but I don’t think any of us have played a bad game, especially at VFL level anyway.

“There is always pressure for spots, which is what we want and ideally we’d love to see two of us in there every week, but at the moment that’s just not the team balance.