Premiership defender Jeremy McGovern is up and running after hip surgery in the off-season saw him unable to train for eight weeks.
Returning to the club after the off-season break, McGovern said he’s glad to be back on the track with the first-to-fourth year players, as he looks to build his fitness before the senior members of the squad return next week.
The four-time All-Australian is no stranger to a pre-season – coming into his ninth with West Coast – and is preparing for a long summer of running.
“Pre-season, obviously the weather’s starting to heat up, the pre-season is also starting to heat up. It will be great to get the boys out on the park for the summer season,” McGovern told westcoasteagles.com.au.
“Last year we came back after Christmas and New Year’s, so it’s been good to get back earlier, a month before December, and get the body moving again.
“I’m just getting back into running at the moment, getting the body fit and ready for the pre-season and 2022.
“The hip’s holding up well, just been about getting my body right to get into pre-season, have started running on it again so it’s been feeling good to get some time into the legs.”
After a week on the track, McGovern said the younger contingent are already impressing, after a series of skills work and shuttle runs, as well as a gym session.
“Young Harry Edwards is looking good, obviously I’m a bit biased towards the backmen, but he’s been having a fantastic off-season and keeping fit,” McGovern said.
“‘Petch’ (Jack Petrucelle) is another one, exciting to see how he’s coming along, Zac Langdon is flying.
“Connor West, we picked him up in the mid-season draft last year, he’s slotted in really well and is looking good. Definitely had a strong off-season, so it will be great to see him in the mix next season as well.
“We had a bit of a longer break this year so it was getting to the point where I was missing a few of the guys, it was good to come back and see them all.
“Will be great when we have some of the older boys and more senior blokes back at the club as well.”
Familiar face and backline coach Daniel Pratt has also returned from the AFLW program and has been working with McGovern, alongside new assistant coaches Jarrad Schofield and Matthew Knights who have been on track with the playing cohort.
“Obviously we also have a few new coaches so it will be great to get to know them and develop our game style,” McGovern said.
“2022, looking on improving from last year, it’s going to be an exciting one with the mix of newer and older faces at the club, also going to have some new draftees running around soon as well which will be great for the boys.”
