MELBOURNE midfielder Jordie McKenzie is confident a career-best fitness base will help him re-emerge as a Demons regular in 2015.
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Injury and form limited the Terang Mortlake export to nine AFL games last season — the lowest tally since his three-game cameo in his debut season six year ago.
But the 78-game tagger is refreshed and ready to help Melbourne climb the ladder in its second year under mastermind coach Paul Roos.
McKenzie said the Demons’ pre-season, which includes a camp at Maroochydore, had been tough but rewarding.
“So far, I’ve been able to build up a pretty good fitness base and I’m probably as fit as I’ve ever been in a long time — if not ever,” he told melbournefc.com.au.
“It’s a really good launching pad, but it’s gone up a notch (compared) to previous years.
“We’ve got a lot of improvement still to climb up the ladder, but the attitudes of all of the boys this pre-season has been really good.
“This camp is a perfect (example) of that — they’re attacking anything that’s been thrown at them.”
Melbourne, coming off another bleak season which netted it just four wins, bolstered its list via November’s drafts, using picks two and three on highly-rated midfielders Angus Brayshaw and Christian Petracca.
Those two teenagers, along with unproven but promising key forward Jesse Hogan and the addition of Collingwood premiership defender Heritier Lumumba, have provided a buzz around the club.
McKenzie said there was a lot of promise on the Demons’ list which would push players to improve.
“We’ve got a lot more depth at the club, particularly in the midfield,” he said.
“There is a lot of competition for spots, so it’s going to be challenging to squeeze into the side, but that’s the way it should be.
“I’m looking forward to that challenge and all I can do is give (myself) that opportunity to be in that 22 each week.
“I reckon I can be and I’m doing everything to put my hand up to play each week.
“I’m looking forward to the challenge and I reckon I’m up to it.
“I’ve given myself a good base and it’s important that I keep getting better and play the role that I’m asked to each week.
“That’s what it comes back to — being able to play whatever role I’m given each week and not just doing it for one week. I’ve got to do it consistently.”
McKenzie said the Demons were using their Maroochydore camp, which finishes on Thursday, to fine-tune their game plan and to foster team camaraderie.
He said the hot weather made the 11-day pre-season trip testing.
“As we’re getting into a lot more football-specific training and game simulated drills, so to be able to come up here and do that in the heat and humidity I reckon you get a lot more out of it, even though it’s taxing on your body.
“A lot of benefits come from that, but we’ve also learned a lot by just being together as a whole team for a period of time.
“The extra contact hours have been really beneficial.”
Melbourne starts its season against Gold Coast at the MCG on April 4.