Western Bulldogs defender Caleb Daniel says it’s been refreshing to enjoy some match simulation, as round one of the 2022 Toyota AFL premiership season edges closer.

The Bulldogs are currently in week nine of preseason training, with things heating up both on and off the track.

“It’s been pretty warm, but the boys are having a good time – we’ve been put through our paces pretty heavily,” Daniel told westernbulldogs.com.au.

“We’ve started some match sim which has been good. It’s always nice to do that rather than run laps.

“We’re pretty recently back after Christmas, so (the sessions so far) have been mostly about getting the km’s back in the legs, and just having a crack, taking the game on and playing our way.

“We haven’t done too much sort of structurally yet – that will come in the future weeks.”

With seven fresh faces and two new assistant coaches joining the ranks since the end of the 2021 season, Daniel said South Australian Charlie Parker and former Hawk Tim O’Brien have stood out to him on-field so far.

“There’s a been a fair few guys who have impressed – Charlie Parker took out one of our running tests, and that’s always a great sign for a young kid in his first year coming out and doing that.

“All the young kids have great skills, and a couple of the guys we got in like Timmy O’Brien – he really showed some stuff throughout the backline.

“It’s been great to have them all train and have a fair few run around with us.”

The Bulldogs will open the 2022 season against Melbourne in 50 days’ time, on Wednesday 16 March.