Declan Hamilton is fast adjusting to the life of an AFL footballer.

The South Australian recruit, taken at pick 39 by the Western Bulldogs in the 2014 NAB AFL National Draft, moved to Victoria and began training with his new club within a week after learning his fate.

Hamilton’s next challenge was his first pre-season trip, heading to the Sunshine Coast with the remainder of the playing group for a gruelling heat-based camp.

“(It’s the) first time I’ve gone away on a footy camp I guess to train, so it’s been tough,” said Hamilton, speaking with BulldogsTV.

Although experiencing a whirlwind three months, Hamilton is using his teammates’ advice to help adapt to his new lifestyle, including allocated mentor Koby Stevens.

“We’re in the same pre-season team so he’s been good.

“We catch up and we sit next to each other in the locker rooms, so I always talk to him in the mornings and afternoons to see how I’m going.”

The medium sized utility is slowly coming to terms with his new environment, as his body goes through the rigours of pre-season training.

“You’ve just got to continue to get your body up day in and day out.

“You’re training six times a week, full days, half days, so just getting your body up each day, getting in to a routine of getting up at 6:30 or 7:00 each morning, that’s been the biggest thing.”