Young Western Australian duo Harrison Marsh and Jordan Lockyer are among the most improved for the Swans in this year’s pre-season training program.

Marsh and Lockyer, who returned to the club on November 18 alongside their fellow first-to-fourth year team mates, have caught the eye of Strategy and Midfield coach Stuart Dew, who said the pair had returned to the club in great shape.

“A couple of the WA boys in Harrison Marsh and Jordan Lockyer have really impressed,” Dew told SwansTV on Wednesday.

“They went away with a clear plan and they’ve come back and run PBs so we can’t ask for more than that.”

Both Marsh and Lockyer stepped up in last week’s running program with Lockyer, who will enter his third year with the Swans in 2014, posting a top five finish in the 3km time trial while 2012 draftee Marsh finished just outside the top group.

Dew said it was clear both players had made the most of their off-season programs and had returned to the club ready for big pre-seasons.

“The older guys have had pre-seasons end on end, so it’s just about trying to get those miles into the younger boys’ legs and getting their training and resilience up, which we’re working away at,” he said.

“I think (Marsh and Lockyer) have really embraced it.”

The club’s draftees – Zak Jones, George Hewett, Toby Nankervis and Aliir Aliir – also joined pre-season training this week, with the group participating in various programs in their first week at the club.

Jones and Hewett took part in a boxing session at the SCG alongside Gary Rohan this morning, while Nankervis and Aliir worked with the club’s other tall timber, including international rookie Patrick Mitchell, former Tiger Tom Derickx and rookie Sam Naismith at Sydney Grammar’s Weigall Sportsground.

Despite only arriving in Sydney a few days ago, Dew said he was already impressed with what the new draftees had put on show.

“They look good,” he said.

“They are really engaging young men and a couple haven’t done a lot of training and we’re still finding out about their body and condition.

“Toby Nankervis ran today and he looks like a real work horse and he’s a great size and a left footer, so I’m happy about that.

“They look like a good mix, which is what we’re after.”