Blossoming Sydney ruckman Mike Pyke wants to secure another AFL contract, but the trail-blazing rugby convert won't discount returning to his old code.

The former Canadian Test rugby-back-turned-ruckman has earned the praise of Swans coach Paul Roos, who on Monday said it was a credit to Pike how far he had come in such a quick time.

Pyke, 26, shot to rugby fame by scoring a long-distance try against the mighty New Zealand All Blacks in 2007.

That same year, he represented Canada at the Rugby World Cup where he lined up directly against another two-code footballer in Lote Tuqiri when Canada lost 37-6 to the Wallabies in Bordeaux.

After playing 20 rugby Tests, Pyke turned to AFL and has logged 14 senior appearances with Sydney in one-and-a-half seasons.

Pyke said his Australian Rules skills were more instinctive, but could still improve across all areas.

His contract expires at the end of this year but Pyke is keen to extend his AFL career beyond the current campaign.

"I will find out in the next sort of while where the club sees me and hopefully they will want to keep me on and that's what I want to do," Pyke told AAP on Tuesday.

"I suppose you can never turn your back on where you come from, so I wouldn't discount going back to rugby."

Canada has already qualified for next year's Rugby World Cup and Pyke admitted to feeling a little nostalgic as the team recently reached the final of the Churchill Cup second-tier international competition.

"There's obviously that element of representing your country which is always enticing," Pyke said.

"It made me a little bit nostalgic watching some of the internationals, thinking back on what you did, but I'm extremely happy where I am at the moment.

"I'm doing something that I wouldn't trade for anything at the moment.

"I'm very happy and enjoying my time now I'm playing seniors, it makes things really good."

He described two more recent cross-code converts, rugby league stars Karmichael Hunt and Israel Folau, as "supreme athletes".

"Given time, they are going to do well, there's no question in my mind of that," Pyke said.

He admitted his pride had been pricked when he potentially dropped further down Sydney's ruck stocks after they recruited Mark Seaby and Shane Mumford to replace Darren Jolly, who moved to Collingwood.

However, the 200cm Canadian said he felt he had done enough last year to warrant a back-up ruck position, but completely understood where the Swans coaches were coming from.

With Seaby sidelined for around three months, Pyke has cemented a regular spot in the senior side.

This Saturday at ANZ Stadium, Pyke could line up directly against Jolly, though he expects Mumford to do the majority of the ruck work against the Magpies' premier big man.

Pyke said after Sydney ruck coach Steve Taubert, Jolly had been the next most influential person in his development.

"He's a great player and I've certainly learnt a lot from him," he said of Jolly.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP