Adelaide General Manager of High Performance Matt Hass is thrilled with the progression of the playing group less than a month from the start of the pre-season competition.

Hass said a host of Crows had recorded personal best results since returning to training in the New Year.

“We were absolutely rapt with the way the boys presented themselves back after Christmas,” Hass said.

“The boys clearly did the programs and did them to the letter.

“We’ve got great numbers out on the track.

“They’re training really well, and the match intensity is starting to pick up in training, so largely the group is exactly where we need them to be.”

On Monday, Adelaide’s AFL squad completed a solid hit-out on the Gold Coast as part of the Club’s first pre-season camp in seven years.

The Crows will only slightly alter their usual training program while in the Sunshine State.

Hass believed a change in environment combined with the team-bonding aspect of the camp would be invaluable.

“We’ll still train for the same amount of time. It’s the external stuff around that where we’ll build some other activities in, and make sure that the boys are spending time together and continuing to build and strengthen those connections,” Hass said.

“We trained this (Monday) morning and had a good hit out while the boys in their down time get to socialise, get to the beach and recover, and get ourselves prepared for the JLT (Community Series).”

Hass noted some pre-season standouts among the group of emerging Crows.

“A couple of guys coming into their second year, Myles Poholke and Jordan Gallucci, have made some really big inroads,” he said.

“We want them to play through the midfield, so they’ve come back and run midfield times, so that was really impressive.

“Wayne Milera has come back and done likewise. He’s always in good condition, but took it to another level.”

Not to be outdone, established players have also stepped up throughout the summer training block.

Hass identified All-Australian duo Daniel Talia and Matt Crouch as two Crows who are leading the way.

“Dan is running fantastically well, and Matty Crouch has made some significant improvements, so the ‘golden jacket’ might improve again next year.”

Close to an entire squad completed the Monday session.