The 29-year-old has completed his longest pre-season yet under new fitness boss Warren Kofoed and finds himself in peak condition with round one just three weeks away.
After struggling with groin, hamstring and back injuries over the last two seasons, Wirrpanda said the new pre-season program had given him renewed enthusiasm and another dimension to his game.
"It is really weird," he said on Thursday at Subiaco Oval. "It is the best shape I have been in for my whole career.
"From this point of view, I don't have any stress in getting up for round one.
"I have done the whole pre-season which is a bit weird for myself; usually I have always been injured and I generally start my pre-season in January."
After playing the majority of his football in the forward line the past two seasons, Wirrpanda hinted he might be making a return to the sweeping defensive role that earned him All-Australian honours in 2005.
Mark LeCras is expected to fill the small forward role this year after groin injuries limited his output his 2008.
"I suppose the big difference out of it all is my role," he said.
"It'd be fair to say that my role would be traditionally back, and going back to where I played my best footy.
"That's something I've got to get my head around and we'll take it step by step."
Wirrpanda has been a crucial part of the Eagles' forward set up since the 2006 premiership, booting 25 goals in each of the past two seasons.
But with emerging players at both ends of the ground, he said the time had come for the side to settle on its forward and back structures.
"We should build around the forward six and the back six," the veteran said.
"We've got a very good midfield now that we can build around Daniel Kerr and Dean Cox.
"So from my point of view there's no reason why we should trial and error different things, we should build around the team that we've got now."
After starring for West Coast in the NAB Challenge clash with Adelaide last week, Wirrpanda said he was looking forward to this Saturday's charity hit-out against Fremantle.
With proceeds going to sporting clubs affected by the Victorian bushfires, and a personal connection to the disaster, Wirrpanda said it would be more than just a practice match.
"It it’s a lot harder for myself, because being a Healesville boy, Kinglake's just up the road. I've got a lot of family and friends that I went to school with that I still haven't heard back from," he said.
"It means a lot to a lot of us."
Dream Team watch – David Wirrpanda is rated a $340,300 defender or forward in Toyota AFL Dream Team 2009.
