Coach Marcus Cooper said the team has been training for a few months in preparation of the new season.

“Training wise we are pretty steady now,” he said.

“We have been working hard all winter and it is starting to show on the track.”

The group has welcomed some new additions for the 2017-18 season.

Cooper said it provided a boost to the other athletes to see new people involved and how much energy they bring to training sessions.

The training standards are high in the group and Cooper said he is already seeing a lot of improvement in the group.

“We have had a consistent run of getting stronger and fitter and an abdominal workout that near killed us at the start of the year, they did it easy this time around,” he said.

“So that shows how far they have come in training since then.”

While Cooper would not single out any of his team who has stood out so far, he sees potential in some that is still yet to be achieved.

“I am not going to put any pressure on Riley Taylor this year,” he said.

“Everytime I think he is going alright, he breaks down, so he is an unknown at this point but if he can stay healthy, I think he will take some big steps on the track.

“We have also picked up a young physio who has come up from Melbourne who is working in Stawell now.

“He had taken a few years off to complete his degree but will be a secret weapon for us.” The VAL season starts with the Sandringham Gift on November 12.