ST KILDA recruit Shane Savage is being eased into pre-season training after finishing his year almost a month after his new teammates.
The 22-year-old crossed to the Saints on October 10, after the Hawks packaged up the midfielder and their first-round draft pick for ruckman Ben McEvoy.
In late September while the Saints' players were on holiday, Savage was still training – he played in Box Hill's VFL premiership on the 22nd and was in contention for the Hawks' Grand Final team when Brendan Whitecross was ruled out with a knee injury.
While he doesn't mind coming back from his break early, he is being gently introduced to the Saints' program and ran laps at a reduced pace last week at Seaford.
He has also been irritated by mild hip soreness since his return to training but is set to travel to Colorado for the club's altitude camp on Tuesday.
"They've backed me off a little bit; there's no need to get into full strides just yet," Savage told AFL.com.au.
"I guess in a couple of weeks I'll be getting into full training and getting into it then.
"I've had a bit of soreness around the hips and they're monitoring that - it's just precautionary and they don't want to blow me upright now.
"There's no issue at all, it's just precautionary."
Savage, who played 56 games for the Hawks between 2009-13, left the club in search of more senior opportunities.
He was omitted from the Hawks' side on the eve of the finals this year and failed to regain his spot, which left him to watch the premiership win over Fremantle from the stands.
Savage said he was looking forward to the challenge of breaking into the Saints' midfield and playing a significant role.
"I'm assuming it will be an outside role and run and carry for the team," he said.
"If I can sort of develop my game and have spells inside and in the midfield as well it could be handy for the team."
The Saints' altitude camp will last two-and-a half weeks, with the list to return on December 12.
Captain Nick Riewoldt will meet the group in Colorado after holidaying in the US with his wife.
Veteran midfielder Lenny Hayes is a notable exclusion, with his wife set to give birth to their first child in December.
James Gwilt, Rhys Stanley and Nathan Wright are others who aren't making the trip with the former two starting pre-season on modified programs following surgery.
The Saints' three draftees – Jack Billings, Luke Dunstan and Blake Acres – are all going after joining the club on Thursday night.
