On return from the Christmas break, Development Manager Chris Maple takes a look at how the Western Bulldogs first year recruits are progressing in their first AFL pre-season.

Jake Stringer: Jake is progressing well and is comfortably adapting to the AFL lifestyle and training. He is working hard on his fitness and his skills like most players and is beginning to see gains in both areas. His knowledge and education on nutrition, recovery and training methods has improved since starting at the Bulldogs and should put him in good stead for the year.

Jackson Macrae: Jackson has put on a lot of weight already off the back of his hard work in the gym. That’s probably his major area for improvement - to develop his body. He is training really well and is doing a modified program alongside all of the first year players. While they are being introduced to the AFL system and increased training workload, we modify their program based on how they recover from each session - for example they might miss one football drill and some of the 400m runs until they adjust.

Nathan Hrovat: Nathan is going really well. He came to the Bulldogs with an impressive training base, so he’s doing a little bit more work with the main group than the other draftees. He’s got a different body shape to the taller boys so he doesn’t need to spend as much time in the weights room, which means he’s getting more of an opportunity to do more running and skill work.

Lachie Hunter: Hunter is doing really well. Lachie’s running has improved over the Summer. He is just working on his contested ball work and his skills.

Josh Prudden: Josh has made inroads in his weights program and has made considerable gains in strength and size and is progressing well. He is working hard on his strength and core to prepare himself for playing against bigger bodies.

Brett Goodes: Goodesy trained the house down during the first six weeks and is starting to reap the rewards, having already reduced his skin folds. His fitness has really improved just from doing full time training program with the main group. We are looking forward to what he can do in the next few weeks before potentially getting in some NAB cup games.

In the next installment of Preseason progress westernbulldogs.com.au finds out how the second year players are faring and who is impressing coaches after the Christmas break.