WHEN they're not pushing their physicallimits on the training track this pre-season, the Bulldogs are set to face achallenge of a very different nature – in the kitchen.

Having identified that many of the club'splayers were considered lightweights this year, the Dogs are set to combattheir weight control this summer with the help of sports dietician LouiseFalzon.

Another product of the intensive clubreview the Bulldogs went through following the 2007 season, Falzon is teachingthe players about nutrition, as well as taking them on shopping tours andteaching them how to cook healthy meals.

"(Weight) is an area that we're reallyworking on with this group," head of physical performance Cameron Falloontold westernbulldogs.com.au.

"There has been such a focus withthese guys and getting their running ability to the elite level, and theycertainly are doing that.

"This year, we're taking a differentapproach and have employed the sports dietician, which the club hasn't had fora few years.

"She's doing great work with theplayers in terms of making sure they understand what they're eating a lot more,understanding the effects the food is having on them from a recovery andperformance point of view.

"We're seeing the benefits. A lot ofguys are putting on some good, lean weight, and are feeling better andstronger.

"They're feeling it in their runningand their weights, and it's just a matter of the guys now keeping it consistentthroughout the year."

Jason Akermanis recently said he playedunder his normal weight this year, and was susceptible to illness and injurybecause of it.

With Falzon's guidance, Falloon isoptimistic the younger players will benefit from her cooking and shoppinglessons, while the older members will also pick up some new tips.

"There's a big educational focus forthe guys. For some guys, it's just a matter of working on the little things,like a hydration strategy during games," he said.

"Senior players like Scott West andBrad Johnson are just so professional and they've been around for a long time,so they know how to get prepared, but if we can get half a per cent, or a 1 percent improvement in their hydration throughout a game, that's going to help us.

"We work on the little things likethat with those guys. For the younger guys, they're coming from interstate,it's their first time away from mum and dad, and it's educating them andhelping them to be self sufficient.

"It's about making sure they'reunderstanding what they're putting in their body is actually helping them toperform."

So, are the players enjoying their new off-fieldchallenge to fine tune their dietary requirements?

"The feedback has been fantastic.They've really embraced it, and it's been one of the positive things that hascome out of last season," Falloon said.

"The players themselves are embracingchange, and they're really keen on learning and being more educated and arewilling to put the time into it, so that's really satisfying."