The sun was beating, the easterly breeze whipping across the second oval at Mineral Resources Park.

A bunch of athletic young men punching out the laps at a cracking pace. The boundary is lined with shade shelters, protecting support staff and sport science personnel from the elements as they monitor the session.

All signs that the West Coast Eagles pre-season is under way.

While there was the main peloton, headed for the most part by Jai Culley and Greg Clark, there were also a couple of break-out groups. Some of the club’s development and coaching staff worked with those players on the periphery.

This return to the start of pre-season was compulsory only for 14 players who fall into the first to four-year category. But there was twice as many involved.   

Their commitment to rebound from a tough 2022 campaign evident in their actions. It is the first step towards the ambition of climbing up the ladder. One rung at a time.

While officially that was the start of the pre-season, the evidence had been strong before they arrived at headquarters today, with vision and pictures of the players training in small groups prevalent on various platforms for more than a month.

Decked out in their fresh New Balance kit for the solid hit out, comprising a running session ahead of skills work, it was like the first day back at school.

It was exciting. Rhett Bazzo and Brady Hough, two highly-touted first year prospects, look bigger and stronger. Key defender Harry Edwards has also put on some size with ruck-forward Bailey Williams and another of the big youngsters Jack Williams.

Midfielders Campbell Chesser, Luke Edwards, Connor West and Xavier O’Neill lapped it up while Oscar Allen, unable to play a game last year, was one of the additional players opting ‘in’ for the session. With Tom Cole, Liam Duggan and Jack Petruccelle he looked sharp.  

That first session ticked off, the build towards the start of season 2023 has begun.