AFTER sitting out last season due to suspension, star Bomber Michael Hurley believes he has walked back into "a better football club".

In further positive news for Essendon, Hurley said he could sense that star midfielder Jobe Watson's motivation levels were picking up after a difficult period.

After his involvement in the ill-fated 2012 supplements program, Watson decided to hand back his Brownlow Medal, leading coach John Worsfold to say the experienced onballer had to rediscover his passion for the game.

The AFL Commission awarded the 2012 Brownlow Medal jointly to Sam Mitchell and Trent Cotchin.

"Initially it was a pretty tough time for Jobe and his family. But I've noticed the last two or three days that he's really sparked up and looks like his old self again," Hurley said.

"With the support that he's got, hopefully it was enough for him to get through that bad situation and he can be positive and look forward."

Hurley, one of the 34 past and present Essendon players to receive a drug-imposed suspension from the Court of Arbitration for Sport, is excited by the club's new beginning.

"It feels like… a better football club," Hurley said.

"Leaving at the end of 2015 was sad and left the footy club in an awkward position.

"But coming back now it feels great. [Coach] John (Worsfold) and the other coaches have put in a great 12 months and the place feels fantastic so to come back, I'm very excited."

Hurley said he and the other 10 returning Bombers – Michael Hibberd has moved  to Melbourne and Tayte Pears has retired – would be eased into pre-season training.

"It's hard to throw us straight into the deep end because we haven't had that footy training or game-type stuff for a while now," Hurley said.

"We've been in and out of drills and we've been doing some running when the guys (other players) have been doing some change of direction movement."

As a mark of the fresh start, Hurley shaved off his much-talked about 'Castaway' beard after training at the True Value Solar Centre.

The 26-year-old raised more than $35,000 through the MAD Foundation for Rye Johnson, a five-year-old boy with cerebral palsy.

The money will be used to purchase a special bed to assist Rye to sleep safely at night.