Western Bulldogs forward Riley Garcia says his focus this ASICS pre-season has been consistency.
Garcia, who played four of the Bulldogs’ final six games last season, said he is hopeful he can continue to lock down an on-field role in 2025.
“I think for me personally, (the focus) has probably been getting my role specific; what it looks like week-to-week,” he told RSN radio on Tuesday morning.
“I’ve been working hard in the midfield this pre-season, so it’s been nice to have a position, really crack down on it and play to my strengths.
“I’ve had a few frustrating years of injuries and form, but I feel like this pre-season I’ve been building nicely.
“The biggest thing for me (last year) was getting my body right. That consistency obviously validates the form that is shown week-to-week.
“There’s no doubt I can take a bit of confidence from that, so hopefully I can keep building into this year.”
Garcia said while injuries to key personnel are challenging, he is excited by the opportunity it presents for some of the younger players.
“Obviously the downside to AFL pre-season is that you lose some key members of the team, but overall I feel that the boys are in quite great shape,” he said.
“Hopefully Buku Khamis can step into (Liam Jones’) role nicely. We also have Jedd Busslinger building the last couple of years in the VFL, so it’s a really exciting opportunity for both of them.”
Listen to the full interview below.