ENTHUSIASM was at a high at West Lakes on Tuesday when a group of players decided to brave the 36-degree heat and complete a 2km run around the block in addition to the morning’s two-hour training session.

New recruit Brad Moran was one of the ten dedicated players and was still blowing hard when he fronted the media just minutes after crossing the finish line.

“It was just a standard Adelaide training to be honest – a couple of hours here and there,” the 21-year-old Moran said with a smile.

“Me and a few of the boys decided to go for an extra run at the end, so it was good.”

Prior to the run, Moran and company also completed a modified version of the club’s infamous ‘Goodwin drill’, which involves repetitive sprints with interspersed rest periods.

“Pretty much,” Moran said when asked it the extra fitness work was the players’ choice.

“We’ve got a pretty keen, enthusiastic, young side, so everyone’s pretty keen to be the best that they can.”

Moran, who was traded to Adelaide from North Melbourne at the end of 2007, said he was enjoying Neil Craig’s intense fitness regime.

“All AFL clubs are hard, but Adelaide likes to maintain its fitness standard, which is obviously the elite in the AFL,” he said.

“It’s a slight step up [from North Melbourne] and a better intensity, but nothing that we new guys can’t cope with. I really enjoy a bit of hard work, so I’ve grasped it with both hands.”

In the past the Crows have been accused of pushing their players too hard too soon in the season, but Moran was confident the club had found the right balance of hard work and recovery.

“Obviously, I wasn’t here last year, but from what I’ve heard, the training has been just as hard, but the guys say they are feeling much better than last year,” he said.

“I think the maintenance and recovery side of things has definitely improved, so everyone is handling the fitness pretty well.”

Moran impressed coaches and supporters alike with his first game in the tri-colours against Collingwood.

The versatile big man showcased his athleticism and impressive aerobic capacity with stints both in defence and in the ruck.

Adelaide recruited Moran with a view to using him as a defender, but a season-ending knee injury to Rhett Biglands means the 199cm Queenslander will spend more time in the centre square.

“Being a tall player, you’re always going to have some ruck duties, but I’d like to see myself somewhere in the back line and possibly a bit in the ruck as well,” Moran said.

“Rhett going down for the year doesn’t help, but I think we’ve got a strong list at the moment and its pretty fierce competition for spots.”

Moran and fellow recruit Brad Symes both appeared to find their niche in the Crows line-up in Dubai.

The former Kangaroo said he took a “lot of confidence” out of the win against Collingwood.

“Obviously it’s good to get out there, to fit in amongst the team and know that you can give something back and also play your role,” he said.

“Coming into a new side it’s always difficult to know whether you’ll fit in straight away and you do have to earn your stripes.

“It’s definitely given me more confidence and throughout the pre-season the guys have made it really easy for me to fit in. I knew straight away, as soon as we hit the track, that they wanted me there.”