Pre-season in Full Swing

EAST Perth’s players have returned to pre-season training in good shape and are tracking well after the Christmas and New Year break, according to Football Operations Manager, Mark Winnett.

The squad resumed pre-season training a fortnight ago and on Tuesday the senior squad competed in a two-kilometre time trial. Marty Zambotto finished with the best time followed closely by Steven Payne.

“The players have had a pretty consistent pre-season, all the new players from the Colts have come in and settled in pretty well and the senior core group are basically still all together from last year", Winnett said.

“They’re starting to step it up now".

THE LEADERS

Winnett believes the experienced leaders continue to push the playing group to new heights, particularly co-captains Craig Wulff, (who’ll turn 32 in February), and Brendan Lee along with ruckman Paul Johnson.

“Obviously they’re really hungry for success and disappointed at last year’s result and some of those guys the year before. But, that senior group is still intact and are still the glue of the footy club, which is really important to us”, Winnett said.

“They’ve all had separate programs as senior players, they’ve all been monitored since the end of last year and they are all back into full training now”.

INJURIES

Wulff and Johnson didn’t take part in Tuesday’s time trial, instead focusing on ball work in a light skills session. While defender Beau Chatley has continued his rehab program post surgery.

“Beau had a shoulder repair, he tore a labral muscle (shoulder) prior to Christmas so he’ll probably be a bit of a late starter for us, which is a shame. Outside of that most of the guys have come along pretty well.

“We’ve managed Paul’s sore spots, which have built up over his journey, but Johnno’s pretty much back into full training now. Craig being the evergreen veteran he is, is someone that we’re monitoring and probably trying to hold back a little bit just to make sure we can get him through the year.

“Garry Moss has had a full preseason for the club which is really encouraging after a couple of really disappointing years with injury.

“Aside from that the rest of the senior players are all fit and healthy. Mitch Howlett has returned in really good shape post Christmas, so he’s progressing really strongly”, Winnett said.

NEW FACES

The return to full training has brought some excitement as the season creeps closer, with a couple of new faces promising to be handy inclusions for the Club in 2015.

Brendan Lee’s younger brother, Damian, has joined the Royals from the Busselton Magpies in the South West Football League.

Lee, plays a similar role to his older brother and will be a valuable addition to the playing squad according to Winnett.

“Damian is obviously the younger brother of Brendan, he’s been at Busselton (Busselton Football Club) for a few years and is a really talented basketball and soccer player.

“He only started playing footy about five or six years ago, he was a first choice player at Busselton and also played for the South West side at Landmark.

“He’s very similar to Brendan, a really talented player and will add a lot to the football Club”, he said.

Dwayne Lake also joins the group having come into the preseason in peak fitness. He completed an Iron Man competition down South before Christmas.

“He played a bit of WAFL footy at East Fremantle and played in the last two A grade premierships for University (UWA).

“Dwayne’s a bigger body, mature age player and he’ll help some of our younger squad adjust to the rigours of senior footy”.

The players will train three days a week in the lead up to pre-season games with Round One against the Sharks on March 21.