One of the positives to come out of this pre-season has been the leadership shown by our senior midfielders.

Travis Boak and Brad Ebert have really led by example on and off the field and it’s a credit to their hard work and commitment that they’re our new captain and vice-captain.

We expect big things for them this year. But there have been other guys who have really consolidated good seasons last year with strong pre-season work.

Those are players like Matt Broadbent, Hamish Hartlett and Kane Cornes.

We want to be dangerous and damaging and really supportive of each other on the field this year and our main guys have all worked hard to that end.

For the first time in many years we’ve had a full complement of ruck options available with Matt Lobbe and Jarrad Redden the fittest they’ve been and ready to play Round 1. Brent Renouf isn’t too far away either.

Our younger guys have also shown signs of improvement and both Andrew Moore and Ollie Wines have worked hard to become the big-bodied young midfielders we need them to be.

Here’s how I’ve seen the mids ahead of Round 1:

#1. Travis Boak
He’s had a very good pre-season and has taken big steps with his leadership and that’s what led to him being named captain. Even since then his pre-season form in the NAB Cup has been outstanding and he’s led from the front in all aspects of his game – tackling, pressure on the opposition and being lively around stoppages and winning the clearances. We’re looking forward to a big year from him.

#4. Brent Renouf
Bruno had a big knee operation in the off-season but has steadily improved this pre-season in the way he’s moved around the track. He’s getting better and better and his endurance running at the back end of the pre-season has been encouraging. Now he’s had a couple of games under his belt at SANFL level and we just want to see him continually improve and put pressure on the other ruckmen.

#5. Matthew Broadbent
He’s always been consistent, works hard and hasn’t missed a session this pre-season. We want him to keep improving and taking steps towards being a great midfielder. I suppose he had a breakout year last year and finished equal second in the best and fairest which was a big reward, but it’s important for us as a team that he keeps working towards becoming an elite midfielder.

#6. Angus Monfries
Gus has been a very positive addition to the football club and he gives us a good spread across the field as both a forward and a midfielder. He works hard, runs the lines and can carry the ball, is very smart and can kick goals – these are all great strengths to have. On the back of the pre-season he’s had we’re looking forward to him being around the club and seeing what he can do.

#7. Brad Ebert
Along with Travis, his leadership is something that has really increased and that’s especially significant given he’s only in his second year at the club. The way he leads the playing group by example is outstanding and like Matty Broadbent he never misses a beat at training. We’re looking forward to him keeping on getting better and better – he’s only 22 and we’re really optimistic about his future here.

#8. Hamish Hartlett
Hamish has spent the whole pre-season in the midfield and has worked particularly on his craft around stoppages. He adds another string to the team’s bow in terms of talent in the midfield and he’s a player that the opposition will invest time into stopping, which will take pressure off some of the other guys in the middle. Hamish has definitely got better and is still working hard at the defensive side of his game. He’s very confident moving into round one.

#16. Oliver Wines
Oliver has come into the club as a solidly-built inside midfielder. As far as our expectations of him go, he’s definitely given us something that we’ve lacked over the past few years as that strong inside player. There are definitely things in his game that he has to improve – his spread out of stoppage, and the defensive side of his game. But we’re really happy with Ollie and there are all the signs that he’s going to be a good player for this football club, as well as a good person (which is important!)

#18 Kane Cornes
Kane performs for this football club year in, year out. He always gives everything he’s got even though his role chops and changes. Off-field he’s been leading the way and guiding some of our young kids which is good to see and something we expect from an older player. He’s been consistent again and he should have another good year.

#23. Matthew Lobbe
It’s been good to see Lobbe get a pretty good pre-season into himself. When I think back the last couple of years there have been interruptions that have held him back, but he’s been able to get a good block of games and work under his belt and for him and Redden to be able to team up together and see if they can work as two ruckmen on the field has been positive. He gives us something a little bit different to Redden – he’s able to get out and use his running ability to get into spaces. We look forward to him getting out there this year.

#25. Dom Cassisi
Dom’s had an interrupted pre-season, especially before Christmas he was going really well and then he got sick and that’s probably knocked him around a little bit. He’s played his first games back in the SANFL now and he’s got a bit of the ball. We just want to see him get confident with his body and with the leadership off his shoulders he can now simply get out there and play footy. I think he’s looking forward to that.

#26 Andrew Moore
Moorey’s pre-season was really good up until Christmas when he had a few interruptions that set him back. He’s seemed to get more and more confident playing through he NAB Cup and he’ll be pushing for a Round 1 spot. We want to see him keep improving his spread around stoppages and intensity around the ball.

#34 Jarrad Redden
Like Matt Lobbe, Redden has had a big pre-season. He looks lighter, fitter and has an improved running capacity and fitness level. When he’s in the ruck he gives us first-touch and like I wrote earlier we’re looking forward to see the dynamic that he and Lobbe can have together. He was very raw when he first came into the system and like most ruckmen he’s taken his time to learn the craft of his role but now we’re confident he’ll be able to produce on the field.

#38. Ben Newton
Benny’s been able to get through a pre-season and that’s been a massive thing for him. Last year was all about getting games into him at West Adelaide reserves and now he’s moved across to the Magpies in the SANFL we just want to see him put in some consistent performances at league level. He’s just got to keep working hard as an inside midfielder and constantly improve his outside game as well. There’s no reason why he can’t cut it at the top level.

#41. Brendon Ah Chee
Brendon had a slow pre-season with a few setbacks. He had surgery to his patella tendon and has had a setback lately with his leg. A bit like Newton we want to see him get some good footy under his belt and break into the Magpies league team. Consistent football is important for him.

#47. Kane Mitchell
Kane’s come into the club and has a big impact as a rookie and will spend a lot of time up forward as well. His elevation is a good reward for the effort he has put in this pre-season. There are still a few areas he needs to work on and he knows that, but what we’ve seen through the NAB Cup is a player who is willing to have a go and you can’t fault that commitment. He’s a great runner and hopefully we’ll see him make some good steps forward early this year.

#48. Danny Butcher
We’ve got a few guys who we want to establish themselves in the league side of their SANFL club and Danny’s one of them. He couldn’t get out on the park last year – he probably played a total of two games of footy at North Adelaide’s reserves – and he really needs to turn that around this year at league level now he’s playing at the Magpies.