Warriors senior coach Tom Eckel has seen a significant difference in the squad's fitness levels in the lead-up to the Good Friday clash with reigning premiers Ararat.
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Stawell overhauled its strength and conditioning program before the 2023 season, and the seventh-year head coach likes what he sees.
"A lot of guys maintained a bit of fitness, and I think we've gone to another level of fitness, which has been good," Eckel said.
"But everyone came back in pretty good shape and was ready to go because we were pretty disappointed with how it all finished last year. So they're ready to get back into it."
Despite the early Good Friday clash, the Warriors managed to get a practice match against Donald under their belt.
This gave several new faces to the club the first opportunity to impress Eckel, in addition to the work done during the pre-season.
Josh Fowkes dominated the ruck during the practice match, whilst James Sullivan also stood out.
The duo previously played with Navarre and Tatura, respectively.
Another recruit that excites Eckel is the return of forward Cody Driscoll.
"It's good to get him back to the club. He's a former Wimmera League goal-kicking award winner, and he's been great," Eckel said.
Alongside the experience, youth is also coming out of Central Park.
After impacting in 2023, Sam Jenkinson, Riley Ika, Kyan Mellor and Tommy Williams have improved with another pre-season.
"They're all very fit and all ready to go. They take everything in and have learned a lot," Eckel said.
"I think the last 12 months of getting a bit of game time into them has been really good. I think they've gained a lot out of that last year."
Following the match against Ararat, the Warriors will face St Arnaud in another practice game.