The Western Bulldogs depart Melbourne on Wednesday, headed to the Sunshine Coast for a nine-day pre-season training camp.

The full playing group and support staff will attend the camp, which includes a variety of activities designed to consolidate the work already completed over summer.

Alongside traditional skills and match-based training sessions, the group will engage in weights, and beach based physical conditioning sessions that Senior Coach Luke Beveridge says it is an important part of the group’s NAB Challenge preparations.

“It’ll be a consolidating type period where we look at our education, how we’ve changed (and) we make sure we refresh.

“In a short period of time we’ve been able to achieve a lot, but absorbing that information, making sure that it stays in their minds and they’re able to carry it out and practice it when they play is crucial.”

The proximity to Melbourne and the ability for players to train in the heat were both contributing factors for the camp but Beveridge says it will also be an important team-building exercise.

“The boys are all looking forward to it, we’ll come back from that training for another three weeks and pretty much into the NAB (Challenge) so it’s a really important camp for us.

Fans will also get the chance to interact with the playing group at an open training session on Sunday 1 February at Maroochydore Multi Sports Complex, Fishermans Rd, Maroochydore.

The session will begin at 9:30am and players will be available following the training for autographs and photos.