Lachlan Swinton's NRC season may be over but that doesn't mean he didn't gain anything from his time with Sydney.
Swinton recently signed an upgraded and extended deal with the Waratahs, linking him with the club until the end of the 2022 season.
And to allow the backrower to prepare for the early start to the 2020 season, his NRC campaign with Sydney has already ended.
Sydney officially bowed out of finals contention at the weekend with a loss to Melbourne but the season, which ended even earlier for Swinton, was far from a bust.
"Everyone takes their different learnings out of it," he said of NRC.
"For me, It's just trying to build on the stuff I learnt in the Super season, I learnt a lot and the coaches are in constant contact with me and we go through my game and the team's game."
After his first full season of Super Rugby in 2019, in which he won the Chris Whitaker Medal as rookie of the year, Swinton said he was looking to hone "everything" about his game in a bid to take his game to another level.
"Just getting my feet ticking over every game, my ball carry, tackle technique, passing, just the whole rounded game that the coaches want to see from me I'm working on," he said.
And it's not just his play on the ground that is a work in progress for the fiery forward.
Swinton wore the captain's armband earlier this season in NRC before Lalakai Foketi returned to the team in a move that may provided an important shift in his mindset.
"I hadn't really looked at myself in that sort of light but it's good that the coaches have put faith in me and given me that opportunity," he said of captaining the side,.
"I hope I did the boys proud and I think it will develop my game as well, so it's a positive for me.
"Especially trying to be an aggressive player, it's good to have a captain's role so you're being responsible as well as aggressive, so you don't take it to that next level."
After helping Sydney University to another Shute Shield title, Swinton had only a week to regroup before turning out for Sydney and with the Tahs' Super Rugby season kicking off on February 1, he earnt an early spell to help kickstart his preparations.
Sydney head to Canberra to take on the Vikings in round six of the NRC from 12pm on Saturday, with the match LIVE on RUGBY.com.au, Kayo Sports and Fox Sports.
