Fremantle young gun Hayden Crozier feels he will have to prove his worth again in 2015 despite playing in this year's finals series.
Crozier joined new Fremantle recruits Lachie Weller, Connor Blakely, Ed Langdon, Josh Deluca and Sean Hurley at Fremantle Hospital for the children's ward annual Christmas party on Friday afternoon.
The dynamic 20-year-old small forward is entering his fourth pre-season at the Freo Dockers.
He's played 23 matches over his first three seasons including 11 in 2014. He played the last six games of the season, kicking eight goals including two in the semi-final loss to Port Adelaide.
But Crozier still doesn't feel established in the Freo line-up.
"It was a good experience, definitely," Crozier said.
"It's a bit of a different game. Obviously there's more pressure and that kind of stuff but it really means nothing this year.
"You've just got to prove yourself again and again and try and push for selection."
The left-footer played a high half-forward role late in the year and appears to be competing for spots with All Australian small forward Hayden Ballantyne and the club’s 2013 leading goalkicker Michael Walters.
All three played in the same side just four times in 2014 and Crozier was the starting sub in two of those games.
Asked if all three could play in the same side regularly, Crozier said the decision was not up to him.
"Well that's up to Ross (Lyon) to decide isn't it?" Crozier said.
"It's out of my hands."
Crozier is part of the first to four-year group that has been training for three weeks but the full squad returned to training on Monday and ran a 3km time trial on Wednesday, which was won by the club's best runner Tendai Mzungu.
Speaking at the club's best and fairest awards in November, coach Ross Lyon told the Freo players to expect a brutal pre-season after the disappointment of last season.
Crozier said training had been of a high standard so far but not too dissimilar to previous years.
"It's pretty similar," Crozier said.
"We've always got a pretty high standard internally.
"We're all looking really good at the moment. Everyone has come back fit and healthy."
