NEW PORT Adelaide fitness coach Cameron Falloon is confident he can use some of his old Dogs’ tricks to help guide the Power back up the premiership ladder in 2009.

Falloon, who was headhunted by Port Adelaide during the off-season, was credited with transforming the once lightly-framed Western Bulldogs players into strong, hard-bodied athletes, capable of executing a contested style of footy.

And on the opening day of pre-season, Falloon revealed he’d been issued a similar challenge at Alberton.

“From talking to the players, the coaching staff and people around the club, one of the big things they’ve identified is a need for stronger and more powerful bodies,” Falloon said on Thursday.

“We’re looking to improve strength and power, not only in the gym, but also in their running, so they don’t get pushed off the ball and can play better contested football, so that’s a big aim for us over the pre-season.

“At the Bulldogs, they pride themselves on their running and the way they move the ball and I want to bring that to Port Adelaide.”

The Power, who lost highly-rated fitness coach Darren Burgess to the Socceroos last summer, slipped from second place in 2007 to 13th last season and a shorter than usual pre-season was identified as one of the reasons behind the slide.

Falloon denied there was anything wrong with Port Adelaide’s 2008 training regime and said the entire club was committed to making amends for the disappointing year.

“They [the Power] obviously had a shorter pre-season last year having played in the grand final in 2007, so that certainly affects you,” he said.

“Guys have niggles after that and it takes a bit of time to get back into it. I know, last year, at the Western Bulldogs, we had a longer pre-season in the lead up to Christmas and it certainly helped us and was a major influence on our good start to the season and the way we finished.

“This year, with a bigger preparation at Port Adelaide, we’re certainly going to be right on track come round one.”

Falloon, who also spent time at Geelong before moving to the Whitten Oval, said it was the challenge of working with a young and developing list that lured him away from the seemingly success-bound Western Bulldogs.

“When I met with Port Adelaide I was very impressed. They’ve got a good culture, a very strong, successful history and in meeting with the coaching staff and some of the players, they thought that last year was not what they stood for,” Falloon said.

“They really want to turn things around and get back to where they think Port Adelaide belongs and that’s being a successful teams playing in premierships.

“I heard Kane Cornes say at the best and fairest ceremony after he won the award that the players are keen to rectify what happened last year and to make amends. They want a tough pre-season and we’re certainly going to give them one.”