Orazio Fantasia pictured during Port Adelaide's pre-season camp on the Sunshine Coast. Image: Isabel Gawel.

NOT many players would have been smiling all the way through a gruelling training week where they were forced to cover more than 52 kilometres in sapping heat.

But after a frustrating, injury-interrupted 2022 campaign in which he failed to play a single AFL game, Orazio Fantasia was grateful to be able to complete all of Port Adelaide’s pre-season camp on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast and come away feeling great.

Knee and quad injuries saw the 27-year-old barely get going last season. He was an unused medical substitute for Port Adelaide’s game against North Melbourne in Hobart in May and had a stop-start run in the SANFL, which included back-to-back games just once.

The lightning quick forward returned for pre-season training early and has been ticking off every milestone as he seeks a return to the field next year.

“Obviously last year was not how I wanted it to go,” Fantasia said as he prepared to enter his Christmas leave period. “Nobody goes into a season not wanting to play a game, especially without having a long-term injury.

“It was definitely frustrating but I wouldn’t change it. I learnt a lot as a person. I grew a lot and came back.

“I made a plan with the strength and conditioning guys Stuart Graham and Calvin Philp to make sure that when I came back, I was in good nick and could hit the ground running to get ready for 2023.”

And so far, the work has paid dividends.

Fantasia puts himself through his paces on camp. Image: Isabel Gawel.

Fantasia completed every session on Port Adelaide’s pre-season camp and goes into the Christmas break feeling fit and healthy, looking to rest, recover and spend time with family.

“I haven’t done a full pre-season since the first year I got here,” he explained. “Last year I didn’t get one. To be able to put some kilometres in the legs has been great.

“Everyone says the same thing but it’s true – there’s no substitute for the work so to be able to get the k’s in the legs puts me in a good position to move forward after Christmas and keep doing what I’m doing.

“I’m just grateful to be out there and training again. When that gets taken away from you it’s pretty frustrating so I’m just enjoying every session as it comes.”

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Red Bull pre-season training camp wrap | PTV

Six days in the Sunshine Coast saw the boys push themselves to the limit on the track and continue to build upon their connection as a group.

One of the exciting outcomes of the camp was the introduction of Junior Rioli and Francis Evans to the forward line when players were given match-play time at training.

It will be a new look forward line, under the guidance of new forwards coach Chad Cornes, with Fantasia back, Rioli and Evans into the side, Robbie Gray’s retirement and Charlie Dixon fully fit after missing a large chunk of 2022 to injury.

“The more we play together, the more we understand each other,” Fantasia smiled.

“Junior has only had six sessions with us so it makes a difference when we can understand what he likes to do and how he wants to play. Frankie the same.

“Then it’s just creating that connection with Charlie and Todd and the others again, especially for me having not been there for 12 months.”

Port Adelaide’s players will return to training on Monday 9 January.