AN IMPROMPTU five-day camp in Sydney last week set up Melbourne’s AFL Women’s players for a tough pre-season that started on Tuesday night.

Captain Daisy Pearce organised the self-funded trip that involved 20 of the 30 players for the combination of fun nights and cross-training on nearby Bondi beach.

The players crammed into four cars for the 12-hour trek, with regular pit stops along the Hume Highway during the 878km journey.

"You couldn't ask for a better start to the program," Demons coach Mick Stinear said after the first training session at Gosch's Paddock.

"It was a great opportunity for them to get together and for the new players to meet their teammates. It has brought the group closer together already and we can hit the ground running. It shows the quality of leader Daisy is and the unity of our group to make something of this season."

Pearce hatched the plan after spending two weeks in Sydney with her boyfriend on holidays in mid-October and she rented a house that caters for large groups close to the famous surf beach.

"It was so refreshing running on the beach and I thought about going back with the group. I put it to the girls to see who wanted to come and had 10 responses in 10 minutes. Obviously, some had work commitments," she said.

"We were able to spend quality time together and there were some long, late-night chats to find out more about each other."

A countdown clock with siren for skill drills, music blaring from loudspeakers behind the southern end goals and even a drone filming running patterns weren't the only changes to Melbourne's first night back.

Most striking were the cleaner and quicker hands of the players, with far fewer balls on the turf from fumbles in comparison to the introductory session 12 months ago.

"The understanding has, obviously, increased on what a high-performance player and program looks like," Stinear said.

"The girls have a clear understanding of what's required of them during the program. And, obviously, they've had 12 months of practising and executing the fundamentals at AFL and VFL levels.

"The mentality towards the program is the thing that struck me and it's good for us (coaches) because it means we can challenge them a bit more, work on their game, give them some feedback and see that rapid improvement.

"Physically and mentally, they're a lot better prepared to attack a program like this. And it's an exciting combination with the type of program we're able to deliver. And the support of the [AFL] program means the girls are getting the best possible opportunities to be their best,” he said.

"We were constantly evolving last season and now we have the beauty of reflecting on that and we feel we've been able to raise the bar with the (pre-season) program and the expectations of the list."

To no-one's surprise, All-Australian midfielder Karen Paxman set the pace for the gut-running laps at the end of the new season's opening workout.

"She prides herself on her running and she really set the tone early with her conditioning. She's not afraid to leave everything out there and she's a great leader for us. The rest of the players can see where they can get to," the coach said.

Colin Garland, who retired after 141 AFL games with the club, is head of Melbourne's AFLW development, with Stinear's older brother John also joining the coaching team.

"He (Garland) will be an excellent coach. He's very observant and has good relationships with the players," Stinear said.

"He's technically very good, having been in the AFL program for more than 10 years and he's a pretty handy asset for our program."