And none has been more impressive than Nick Malceski, who looks desperate to atone for an inconsistent 2009 season.
Malceski, 25, managed just 12 games in his first full season after his knee reconstruction in 2008 and failed to find his best form.
But Berbakov said the silky skilled flanker had returned to training with a point to prove.
“If I was going to name a ‘best on track’, I’d say Nick Malceski has come back in super condition,” he said.
“He was disappointed with his year last year and he knows that it’s a big year for him.
“He spent a lot of time with Rhyce Shaw over the off-season pairing up and running and really pushing themselves, so he’s come back in super condition.”
Berbakov said the benefits of training in groups during the eight-week break were apparent in the superior fitness of several players.
“It’s like anyone going for a run themselves. There are different levels of intensity,” he said.
“Some of the ones that have paired up or gone out in groups, you find they come back up to speed a little bit more than the ones who have been on holidays or back home in the country and have had to go around for a run by themselves.
“They probably don’t run at quite the intensity that they would if they had some competition next to them.”
Young forward Lewis Johnston has been another impressive early performer.
Like Malceski, the South Australian native has a point to prove after a foot injury ruined almost all of his first AFL season.
“A lot of his focus went on to putting on some size and some strength last year, which he really took on board,” Berbakov said.
“Going forward, he can really focus on his running because he’s managed to put on some size. Being a key position player, he needed to do that.
“Even though he didn’t play last year, it was a real advantage for him to be able to get that work done.”
