Shifting from the GWS Giants to the Western Bulldogs has been more than a change of location according to new recruit Sam Darley.

Training alongside names like Robert Murphy and Dale Morris in the back six, Darley said the age and experience level was the obvious difference, along with the training capacity of the players.

“The training load has probably been a little bit more – coming from the Giants where they are all young guys – 18, 19, 20,” Darley said.

“Now I’ve hit that 20 mark and you have the senior experienced players here, the training load has probably a little bit heavier.

“I have gone home and slept a few afternoons.”

The running defender has also been impressed by training facilities at Victoria University Whitten Oval and the rich history and memories that accompany it.

“[I’ve noticed a] major difference – my first year at GWS we were in a public gym and stuff like that… [because we were] starting the club up,” he said.

“To come in here, an elite training facility like this, with established players and a Club with quite a lot of history, it is definitely a massive change and one that I have enjoyed.”

Darley is also excited by the experienced heads around the kennel, keen to soak up as much information and advice as he can throughout the pre-season.

“Specifically in my backline group, you’ve got Robert Murphy and guys like that who are constantly teaching you, not just on the track but off the track,” he said.

“Talking to you in ways that you can improve and stuff like that.

“To have that, every day here at the Club and even during training has been really good.”

The 20-year-old joined the Bulldogs through the 2013 trade period, jump starting his pre-season on the Club’s training camp to Colorado.