Certainly, the fresh faces and the usual enthusiasm associated with that event were evident when the West Coast Eagles hit the training track at McGillivray Oval this morning.
Joining in for much of the skills session were the club’s latest additions, recruits from last week’s national draft: Liam Duggan, Tom Lamb, Jackson Nelson and Damien Cavka.
PHOTOS: See the new recruits in action
And an extra dose of youth came in the form of AIS scholarship holders, Greg Clark (Subiaco) and Kade Stewart (South Fremantle) who will spend a week at the club.
The draftees all looked comfortable during their hour-long hit out in blustery conditions at McGillivray, handling their first encounter with Perth’s gusty sea breeze with aplomb.
Mostly, though, they just looked excited to be out there. To be running alongside Matt Priddis or Mark LeCras, to be kicking to Josh Kennedy or Beau Waters, to be taking instruction from Adam Simpson and his band of coaches.
Simpson took those youngsters for a short time, ensuring some one-on-one time with the man who will hopefully guide their careers for the next 10 years.
They absorbed the information overload that came their way, with each of them at some stage receiving some important tuition from a new teammate.
The quartet of newcomers had an abbreviated start to their campaigns because it is club policy to ensure their developing bodies can cope with training loads which will be asked of them through this pre-season program.
They will undergo comprehensive medical screenings and if modifications to training loads need to be made, that will occur.
