While Dean Cox is prepared to take a back seat to ruck partner Nic Naitanui this season, the flying Fijian isn’t ready to get rid of his mentor just yet.

The pair make up the most formidable ruck duo in the competition and Naitanui has revealed that he hopes his teammate will stick around for many years to come.

“I think he’s such an important part of the team and he’s good for the vibe of the club as well,” Naitanui said.

“Hopefully he’s around for another five years. He’d probably say no to that, but I love having him in the team.”

Naitanui is also buoyed by the presence of new coach Adam Simpson who he says has sparked a sense of anticipation among the squad.

“The group’s pretty excited, I think probably just because there’s a fresh face and everyone’s excited that there’s a bit of change,” Naitanui said.

“It’s a clean slate and a new start for a lot of the boys. I’ve noticed a big change, there’s a lot more excitement around the club.”

After a frustrating 2013 season where a troublesome groin restricted Naitanui to just 11 games, the 23-year-old began his pre-season with caution.

But he has responded well to a conservative summer program and will return to the main training group with the NAB Challenge competition less than a month away.

While Naitanui suffered a disappointing year personally, his teammates were also unsatisfied with their 2013 campaign as a whole and have been training harder than ever.

“That disappointment was carried on through later parts of the year, watching guys play finals and missing out there,” Naitanui revealed.

“The boys are pretty hungry this time of year and we can’t wait for round one.”