It might be late November, but the AFL program is back!

Reporting for duty at 7.35am this morning… off-season recruit Liam Jones and you couldn’t wipe the smile off his face.

First in the door, the defender decided to join the 1-4-year players on the opening day of the Bulldogs pre-season.

He wasn’t alone in wanting to make an impression early, Rory Lobb completed his first session in the red, white and blue too.

Players piled in with a sense of excitement, despite the wintery conditions, beginning a pre-season with a difference due to the VU Whitten Oval redevelopment works.

Once the team meeting was complete, players made the small transit to Skinner Reserve, a new training base for the group during the opening months of season.

The ground has familiarity to the Club, with the women’s program training there all season, and the men partaking in a session during a chaotic AFL Finals Series.

Blustery conditions greeted all, with everyone’s favourite day one activity, a running challenge.

Toby McLean, Lachie McNeil, Robbie McComb and Riley Garcia all impressed during the test of endurance.

It was particularly special for McLean, taking part in a full pre-season session for the first time in two years.

The likes of Tom Liberatore and Bailey Dale watched on as they warmed into another campaign in front of a small number of fans that braved the conditions.

The senior players will formally return in the coming weeks, starting on December 5.

116 days until Round 1; plenty of work ahead.