About 15 Essendon players have commenced pre-season training this week with the balance of the squad to return next Monday. Among the early starters have been a number of players that underwent post-season surgery, including Adam McPhee, Angus Monfries and Andrew Lee.

Andrew Lee suffered from osteitis pubis that basically sidelined him for the entire 2005 season. He had an aductor release operation late in the year. The 19-year-old is doing all the running drills in the early part of the season and the early indications are that the operation has been a complete success.

Adam McPhee had the same operation as Lee in a bid to rid him of the aductor tightness that dogged him in the second half of last season. McPhee is well ahead of schedule, doing all the running drills and taking part in a modified skills session earlier this week.

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Angus Monfries has stunned fitness staff with his recovery following a post-season shoulder reconstruction. So complete has been his recovery he completed a 3.2km time trial around Princes Park earlier this week. He also took part in the modified skills session.

Dean Solomon (knee) and Adam Ramanauskas (knee) have both been spotted around the club this week and are moving well. The majority of the senior group return next Monday when the pre-season program begins in earnest.