Garrick Ibbotson says his role at Fremantle hasn’t changed this season, despite a substantial increase in his numbers.

Since returning to the side in round 5, the 25-year-old has been a ball-magnet, winning an average of 23 disposals and nine marks per game.

He averaged only 17 possessions and five marks over 23 games in 2012.

Ibbotson said he was essentially playing in the same position, however the statistical rise could be attributed to being used as a loose-man during periods of the season.

“I’m playing the same sort of role as I would have played last year, playing as a half-back line player, but I have played a plus-one role there, too, so it does help when you don’t have a player (to mind),” he said.

Ibbotson missed the first five games of 2013 due to a combination of form and injury.

He began the season playing in the NAB Cup for Freo, but he was dropped back to WAFL level with a clear direction from senior coach Ross Lyon on what he needed to improve.

“After speaking with Ross and the coaching staff there was a few things they really wanted me to focus on, and that was my physicality and my attack on the ball and just making sure that I was giving 100 per cent all over the ground, no matter what was going on,” he said.

A calf injury forced Ibbotson to miss a few more weeks and delayed his return to the team, but when he did come back, he made it count, collecting 24 touches and 11 marks in the one-point win over Richmond in round 5.

The feedback he has since received from Lyon has been positive, but the senior coach made it clear that there was plenty of scope for improvement.

“(Ross and the coaches) said there has been a lot of improvement, a lot of things that they’ve liked, but there’s still always a lot of improvement to go,” Ibbotson said.

“I’ve got  real clarity with my role now. Hopefully I can continue going in the same way that I have been the past four or five weeks and have an impact on the game and help the team get across the line as much as I can.”

Ibbotson helped Freo get across the line in the side’s hard-fought seven-point win over Adelaide last Saturday.

The Crows made a stirring final-quarter charge, and with the parochial AAMI Stadium crowd behind them, hit the front.

Fremantle settled to take the four points, which Ibbotson credited to an unwavering trust in the side’s game plan.

“Being interstate with an away crowd, it’s a real test if you start to lose a bit of momentum or if the opposition hits the lead late in the game,” he said.

“It’s making sure that we stick to structures, that’s the thing Ross has really instilled into us over the past year and a half, making sure structure gets us through.

“We have to make sure that when we get into a tough position we make sure that we stick together and stick to what we know, and we did that on the weekend.”

Ibbotson will stay in Perth during the bye week for some rest and relaxation before Fremantle hits the second half of the season head-on.

“We’ve had a solid start and to be able to go into the break at 7-2-1 is a pleasing result,” he said.

“There has been a lot of hard work but it’s put us into a good position going into the second half of the year.”