JAKE Carlisle is "hanging" for pre-season training to start and hopes his extra fitness sessions will help earn the respect of his St Kilda teammates.
Carlisle is on the comeback trail from hip surgery and will join the Saints' first-to-four year players when they return to the club on November 7.
After being embroiled in a drugs controversy last year and then being forced to sit out this season due to an anti-doping ban from his time at Essendon, the 25-year-old defender is determined to win the Saints' trust.
"That's probably why I'm there a few days a week at the moment and still working outside of St Kilda headquarters on my strength, my testing and my bike stuff," Carlisle said at a media event promoting the World Cup of Golf.
"I feel like that's the way it's got to be and that's the only thing I can do is let my actions do the talking, so when I do return I'm in the best shape possible (and) mentally I'm really fresh and ready to go.
"I'm hanging (for pre-season to start), it's obviously been a long year so I've told the club I want to come back early with the young boys.
"It will be good to build a few more relationships before the older fellas get there."
Carlisle hasn't started running after undergoing surgery, but his body feels in mint condition.
"I feel pretty fit. I haven't run yet, I'm on a good program the boys have set me down at the Saints just on getting stronger and working the glutes and the legs," he said.
"Everything's progressing really well and I'm hitting some good benchmarks early.
"I'm actually feeling the best I've ever felt and the positive thing is I've got a long way to go."
Carlisle is targeting a round one debut for the Saints and will bolster their thin key defensive stocks.
But the 85-gamer is also keen to help develop his younger teammates, once he finds his feet at his new club.
"I'm just going to sit back for the first little bit of it … and then once I'm involved a little bit more I'll help a little bit with the young guys," he said.
"But I'm just looking forward to hopefully playing round one and 22 games next year and finals (hopefully)."
