ST KILDA recruit Dan Hannebery will don the prestigious No.10 at his new club and is determined to prove to himself he can return to his peak.
Hannebery has been named an All Australian three times but suffered a form dip over the past two seasons, having averaged 22 disposals through 38 games in that time.
The two years prior, he had picked up more than 30 disposals per match.
Hannebery, who takes a jumper worn previously by the likes of champion forward Bill Mohr, Brownlow medallist Neil Roberts, tough ruckman Carl Ditterich and most recently Nathan Freeman, told reporters he had set himself to lift his output.
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"I'm probably the harshest critic of myself with my standards," Hannebery said at RSEA Park on Thursday.
"No doubt I had a really good run up until the end of 2016, from a games perspective, and my form was pretty sound for a number of years.
"To have two down years was disappointing and I've got a point to prove to myself I guess, but certainly to the St Kilda boys, you've got to earn their respect first and foremost, and the coaches ... and the supporters, and that's the most important thing.
"I really want to try to get back to some really solid form, particularly early in the season, and go from there."
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Hannebery models his new No.10. Picture: AFL Photos
The 27-year-old wore No.4 during a decade at Sydney.
He's dealt with groin and calf injuries in the past couple of years and has taken measures to ensure he stays fit, having lost weight and lessened his load through the off-season and early in the pre-season.
"The physio staff and the fitness staff here have been first-rate with the program they're setting and the work they do to get you right," Hannebery said.
"That was a really attractive thing to come down here, with some of the injury battles that I'd experienced in recent years.
"Probably being a bit smarter with my training in the off-season, and then in the pre-season to start with, and just management and knowing who to go to as well.
"You do need a little bit of luck but I'm really confident that with work ethic and some management, I'll be fine."
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Hannebery expects a full preparation will hold him in good stead.
"When you don't do much of a pre-season, you leave yourself open a little bit for soft tissue (injuries)," Hannebery said.
"Before that was some groin soreness and I got over that. The back half of the year, my groins were fine. The off-season's much the same and now they're fine."
Hannebery returned to training last week, a fortnight before he was due, along with the rest of the first-to-fourth-year players.
Tough onballer Luke Dunstan was among those on the track before his set return date of next Monday, while former Demon Dean Kent also made an appearance at RSEA Park.
Collingwood VFL player Tom Jok is training with the Saints in a bid to be drafted and Hannebery likes what he's seen of the athletic 193cm tall.
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"I think he'll be a player. Really raw, plenty of upside, his work rate's outstanding. One of the better runners so far in the first-to-fourth-year guys," Hannebery said.
"He's got a nice kick on him too and he's a good size.
"If the Saints don't take him, which I hope they do, a club would be stupid not to take a chance on Tom Jok. He looks like a real up-and-coming prospect."
