While the Bombers were simply having a friendly hit of cricket with Big Bash League teams Melbourne Stars and the Melbourne Renegades, it wasn't until defender David Myers fronted the media sporting a black eye that it became obvious how hard Essendon has gone about its pre-season.
""I had a head clash yesterday. We've had a bit of match play now and I butted heads with Elliott Kavanagh, which is just what happens in training,"" Myers said when explaining his shiner.
New head of fitness Dean Robinson has unashamedly pushed Essendon's players to their physical limits since arriving at the end of 2011. Robinson's mantra fits in with the hardline approach to pre-season that has been the hallmark of James Hird's time as coach.
Myers said the benefits of Robinson's program were showing.
""We've had the new fitness staff come in and they've changed up the program so it is a different type of program to what we've experienced before,"" he said.
""It has been a pretty arduous pre-season and we've been getting tested physically and working on trying to improve on our year last year and physically I think we've done that,"" he said.
""They are always hard – pre-season is never an easy time of the year – but we've jumped into it and done the best we can. I think from a physical point of view, we're ahead of where we were in terms of our testing and criteria.""
One Bomber whose fitness has been a constant frustration over his five years at the club is Scott Gumbleton.
Gumbleton didn't play a senior match last season as he battled knee and hamstring problems.
While most of his teammates are being flogged on the training track, Gumbleton has taken a more careful approach.
""Scott's travelling really well. We're just being pretty cautious with him, with the history he's had,"" Myers said.
""Probably too over-cautious. He's a pretty important player for us so we won't be rushing to get him out there.""
