WEST Coast youngster Reuben Ginbey made the perfect first impression as new coach Andrew McQualter took the reins for pre-season training, winning the first running test of the Eagles' summer program. 

Ginbey, who is earmarked for a defensive role under McQualter after shining in the backline late last season, took out the Eagles' MAS (maximal aerobic speed) test for the second straight year, impressing alongside Campbell Chesser as the club's first-to-fourth-year players returned. 

The duo was among a group of more than 25 players to hit the track at Mineral Resources Park, with senior players including Oscar Allen, Elliot Yeo, Jake Waterman and Liam Duggan also back early. 

McQualter said Ginbey would look to build on the backline role he excelled in late last year and as a junior after playing most of 2024 rotating through wing and inside midfield roles.  

"He showed some great parts to his game last year and he's still really young. He's going to evolve and develop as a player, but to begin with we'll settle him in the backline," McQualter said. 

"He's strong, he's fast, he's fit, and it gives him a great starting point, but whether he plays tall or small might be week-to-week dependent.

"He's giving himself a great physical profile to be able to play multiple roles."

McQualter said he was pleased with the condition his players returned in after the off-season, including a senior group that also included Jayden Hunt, Harry Edwards, Bailey Williams, Tom Cole and Jamie Cripps.

Small forward Noah Long trained away from the main group alongside Tyler Brockman, while much improved young defender Brady Hough was also managed and will build into the pre-season. 

Young star Harley Reid was back in training as third-year midfielder Elijah Hewett moved well and looked in good condition after a 2024 season ruined by foot injuries. 

"There's quite a bit of personality about Elijah, and he was terrific," McQualter said. 

"He did the full session today, which is really exciting. He hasn't played much footy over the last few years, so he's fit and he's ready to go."

Off-season recruits Liam Baker and Jack Graham will start training in a couple of weeks after crossing from Richmond through trade and free agency moves, with McQualter earmarking the versatile Baker for a backline role. 

Reid will continue as a midfielder in his second season, but McQualter said he was open to whether the young star rotates forward or back in 2025. 

"I think he's got a skill set that can play all the lines, so we'll just see how that evolves over time," the coach said. 

On the opposition attention sure to come for Reid after an outstanding debut season, McQualter said: "We'll put some mechanisms around him, but we'll also have high expectations of him to be able to fight through his own battles". 

A major focus of the Eagles' summer will be improving their ability to turn the ball over quickly to open up the ground and play a fast-paced offensive style. 

It's a style the coach hopes will excite the players, borrowing from the gameplan he learned under Richmond coach Damien Hardwick during the Tigers' triple-premiership era.  

"There is a lot that we'll work on, but probably it's about our speed of trying to turn the ball over," McQualter said. 

"That'll be our biggest focus for pre-season, and you may have noticed it in some of the drills today, just the real emphasis on speed to try and create turnovers. 

"There's a large build of a gameplan that we're going to try and do over summer, but that will be one of our biggest priorities. 

"If we can create the turnovers, then we'll be able to get some speed off them."