Following repeat sprints, long distance running and footy drills in scorching 30-degree heat, Sydney Swans midfielder Kieren Jack said he couldn’t be happier to be back at the club for his eighth pre-season.

The majority of the Swans squad are now back at pre-season training - not including veterans of the team, such as Adam Goodes, Jude Bolton and Jarrad McVeigh - as the first day of pre-season training kicked off this morning for those who have been at the club for four-to-seven years. The one-to-three year players returned to the track last Friday. 

While the players were pleased the scheduled 3km time trial was pushed back until next week, there was still plenty of running and skill work in this morning’s 90-minute session. 

Over the off-season Jack stuck to a modified weights and running program and said he’s now feeling fit, fresh and ready to attack the rigours of another pre-season with his usual high intensity.

“I was itching to get back,” Jack told SwansTV. 
“You spend a lot of time away from the footy club and you miss that structure in your system, so to get back here and meet all of the boys again and start our campaign again for next year, it’s always exciting.

“It’s good to be back, we certainly know that there’s a lot of hard work in front of us.

“Last pre-season we worked our butts off and probably went under the radar a little bit and that will probably change this year … but nothing changes as far as we’re concerned; we’ll keep training hard and do our best to give ourselves the best preparation for next year.”

With a large turnover of the list over the off-season, Jack met the four new draftees Dean Towers, Harrison Marsh, Tim Membrey and Matthew Dick for the first time today.

Jack said he was impressed with the level of excitement and intensity of the new recruits as well as the one-to-three year players who have had a week’s head-start. 

“It was good to meet (the draftees), I obviously saw (the draft) on TV and saw some of the kids that we picked up and they’re all settling in pretty well,” Jack said.

“They’re starting to do some running sessions and know what pre-season is all about, so they’ll have a great time however long they’re here and it’s great to have them here.

“The young kids that are here are really hungry which is great, you want your young kids to be hungry and ready to go again.

“Alex Johnson and Luke Parker played in the premiership side and they’re running great times … it’s great to have that because it pushes the older boys, it pushes the middle-tier players like myself, so it’s an exciting place to be around.”

Last pre-season saw Jack team up with speedster Lewis Jetta to help teach him the required work rate over pre-season, and the end result saw Jetta kick 45 goals and play a key role in the Swans premiership win.

Twelve months on and Jack has turned his attention to offering support and guidance to the next crop of up-and-coming players.

“Jetts is going all right at the moment which is good to see, so maybe I’ll help some of the young boys like Tony Armstrong along too,” he said.

“Tony’s probably a yard off Jetts so I don’t mind that. Tony’s turned up in good shape, he’s really hungry, he just missed out on premiership success last year so he’s really hungry to improve and make sure this year is his year, so I’ll be there to help him out.”