Play all three or just play me.

That’s the blunt message Gold Coast youngster Tom Nicholls is hoping to send to coach Guy McKenna after his mid-season AFL breakthrough.

Nicholls, who failed to play a game last year after his 2011 debut for the Suns, has seized the opportunity given to him by injuries to fellow ruckmen Zac Smith and Charlie Dixon.

The 21-year-old has played six games since returning to the Suns senior team for the round 10 clash with Geelong at the start of June and his efforts against Richmond in Cairns last Saturday earned him this weeks AFL’s Rising Star nomination.

After so long in the wilderness, Nicholls says he’s not going to accept going back to being the club’s back-up option when his teammates return from injury.

Smith’s knee injury will keep him sidelined for the rest of the season but Dixon is set to return from his ankle problem on Saturday against Collingwood.

“I’ve said before that I don’t see why you can’t play all three of us,” Nicholls said.

“I definitely won’t be happy to go and play reserves again.

“You come up here to play AFL footy if you’re a footballer and I’m just doing all I can to claim my spot.”

The 201cm Nicholls admits he’s still got to beef up his wiry frame and he’s discovering how important strength is in ruck contests at the top level.

After battling with the physicality of Tigers’ ruckmen Ivan Maric and Ty Vickery last weekend, he’s expecting another tough wrestle against Collingwood’s Ben Hudson and Jarrod Witts on Saturday at Metricon Stadium.

“They’ve all been a lot stronger and fitter but it’s just been an awesome experience out there,” he said.

“I’ve been playing on pretty different opponents each week so it’s good for me and good for my development.”

Nicholls, who has Fijian heritage, joins Rising Star favourite Jaeger O’Meara as Gold Coast’s second nominee for the 2013 award.