It may only be the Western Bulldogs’ second week back but the training load has already lifted, with 12 youngsters put through their paces under new High Performance Manager Justin Cordy.

A group of first to fourth year Bulldogs have seen first-hand what is to come in the 2014 pre-season campaign, as part of the first crop to return to the kennel.

“Really this week we have just started to crank the program up… at this stage it is just getting a feel for the group, where they are at, their attitude, their training ethic, their professionalism,” Cordy said.

“Across the board I am getting a good picture at this stage and as the pre-season goes on… we will build up the volume and intensity of the program, so that will start to sort them out and really see where they are at for 2014.”

Cordy is not easing into the role, demonstrating early that he will be demanding high standards across the entire summer campaign.

“With the young guys coming back you get really good insight into their behaviour, how they prepare themselves for training, how they go about things,” he said.

“We have such a short window now to prepare these guys and get them ready for football.”

As the full list come together throughout November, Cordy said December will be considerably challenging for the group — with a high volume training phase in his plans.

“December will really be three heavy weeks so the guys really from my point of view hopefully will just be eating, sleeping and training through that period,” he said.

“There will be a whole multitude of sessions, skills, running, we will be topping them up with boxing and cross training and things like that.

“I am excited about the program, I am excited about December to be honest because that is the time we really get to put some work in them and get them ready for the season proper.”