NEW ADELAIDE recruit Angus Graham has a message for teammate Sam Jacobs: the fight for the number one ruck position is on.

After a season in which Jacobs emerged as one of the AFL's premier big men, topping the League in hit-outs to advantage, most saw Graham's trade to Adelaide a move to fill the back-up ruck role vacated by Kurt Tippett when he expressed desire to join the Sydney Swans.

But the former Richmond ruckman didn't get the memo.

Graham told 5AA radio on Monday afternoon that Jacobs wasn't entitled to the number one ruck position at the club on reputation alone and, if he outperformed him over the pre-season, he would expect to be named at first ruck.

"I've been number one before and I still think I'm a very good player and can take his spot, so I'm not just going to allow him to walk straight in, I'm going to fight over the pre-season and put my best foot forward," Graham said.

"If I'm playing better footy than him I expect to get a game … I'm sure if the coaches think I'm playing better they'll play me."

 The 25-year-old managed only one game in 2012, stuck behind former Crow Ivan Maric who was forced out of Adelaide because of a lack of opportunity.

Graham said he hadn't been able to "flourish" under Damien Hardwick's "more defensive" game plan, preferring former coach Terry Wallace and new coach Brenton Sanderson's attacking brand of football.

Pushed from Punt Road, Graham said he hoped he could enjoy a Maric-style rejuvenation at West Lakes.

"Ivan came across (to Richmond) last year because he couldn't get a game and he had a very good season at Richmond which held me out, so it's funny how it swings, but hopefully it works out for me and I can take a jump like Ivan did at Richmond," he said.

"Terry's game style, he sort of told me to go out and play and back me in to run and spread and that sort of stuff comes naturally (to me) and 'Dimma's' a bit more defensive.

"I probably didn't flourish under him as much as I did under Terry.

"[Sanderson] plays two talls at times…'Dimma' was not so (fond) of playing me and Ivan (Maric) in the same team so that excited me a bit."

But the 201cm ruckman who, at 107kg said he was just inside his 105-107kg ideal playing weight, also said he knew it wasn't just Jacobs he'd have to outplay to lock down a position in Adelaide's side.

Josh Jenkins and Shaun McKernan both played in 2012, and Jenkins in particular has been widely tipped to replace Tippett on his own.

The club's inaugural coach Graham Cornes and Port Adelaide great Warren Tredrea even called for him to replace the underperforming Tippett during its finals campaign.

Graham said he wouldn't take anything for granted at Adelaide, but hoped to impress the coaches throughout the summer.

"Nothing's given to you in AFL, I've been around long enough and I've gone through a lot of ups and downs," he said.

"I've got a lot of points to prove.

"(With) Jenkins and McKernan and players like that, I know I'm not guaranteed any spots or anything like that but I'm going there to have a crack, have a pre-season and put my best foot forward.

"I do think my best football is in front of me so I'm just looking to have a big pre-season, impress the coaches and just show them what I've got."

Harry Thring is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_Harry.