HE'S ARRIVED with the bad boy reputation but former Gold Coast midfielder Harley Bennell has made a good early impression at Fremantle.

Bennell started pre-season training early, joining the club's first to fourth-year players on Monday.

The talented midfielder took part in the majority of the 90-minute session that involved endurance running and some light skills. He did more than 80 per cent of the running and looked in good shape in the warm conditions at Fremantle Oval.

The 23-year-old will be keen to make a good impression after joining the club following a troubled five years at Gold Coast.

He was cut by the Suns after an off-field incident in September, when he allegedly slapped a cigarette out of the mouth of a bouncer outside a nightclub.

He was charged by police and then later settled a public nuisance charge out of court.

The September 6 incident was the last straw in Bennell's troubled time with the Suns.

In July he was given a fine and a three-game suspended ban by the Suns after photos of him appearing to use illicit drugs at a Tasmanian hotel in 2013 were published nationwide.

He was also stood down for a match earlier in the year after breaching team alcohol protocols.

New teammate Lachie Neale says the West Australian will be a very important addition in the Dockers' midfield as they push for more scoring power across the board.

"He was in high spirits and ran quite strongly out there," Neale said on Monday.

"It was good to meet him and good to have him here.

"I think everyone knows the talent that he's got. Obviously with his speed and his goalkicking ability and just his power run from stoppages and things like that he'll be an important piece to us and we're excited to have him here.

"I look forward to getting into the pre-season with him and the other midfielders as well."

Nat Fyfe is the only permanent Dockers midfielder to have kicked more than 20 goals in a season under Ross Lyon, kicking 24 in 2014.

Bennell kicked 92 goals in his 81 games with Gold Coast and has two seasons of 20-plus goals. He booted 25 from 22 games in 2012 when he finished second in the Suns' best and fairest and kicked 23 from just 15 games in 2014.

"We need to kick more goals," Neale said.

"Hopefully the players we bring in can add to that. 

"But it's something that won't be up to one or two people, it will be a collective.

"Our ball movement has got to be better. The first half of last year we proved we could do it. We've just got to get back to it."

Anthony Morabito also participated in the whole session and looks in great shape after failing to play a single game at any level in 2015 due to ongoing knee soreness.

Morabito was delisted by the club in October but has been given a guarantee that he will be re-drafted by the Dockers as a rookie. The 24-year-old spent some time overseas during the year to rest his troublesome knee and it might have proved a masterstroke as he moved freely throughout the session.

"I spoke to him a little bit before, he said he's feeling really good," Neale said.

"I think at this stage he's going to be with the main group for this part of pre-season, and hopefully for the rest of pre-season. He looks in great nick."

Young power forward Michael Apeness did not make an appearance on the track but was working in the gym.

Apeness played just four WAFL matches last season before injuring the posterior cruciate ligament in his knee in round seven. He is in rehab as he heads into his third pre-season.

Cam Sutcliffe did his running away from the main group after having off-season shoulder surgery, but looked in good shape. 

Clancee Pearce, 25, also returned to training earlier than expected but was running away from the main group.