The brilliant forward played through the AFL Grand Final with a strained posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
The injury delayed his training regime in the off-season.
“I wasn’t able to do as much running, which meant I wasn’t able to be in as good shape as I was a year ago at the same stage, entering pre-season,” he said.
But Walters said his fitness is currently as good as it’s ever been.
“Once I got back to the club, I did some strength work on my quads to make the knee a bit stronger,”
“It’s holding up well so far and I’m fitter than ever.”
Walters enjoyed a breakthrough 2013 season to become one of the AFL’s elite small forwards.
‘Son Son’ said his goal in 2014 was to build on the foundations he had set last season.
“I just want to go back out there and do it again and, hopefully, go one step further as a team because it was disappointing losing in a grand final,” he said.
Walters could find himself playing further up the ground at stages this season after training as a midfielder as well as a forward in the pre-season.
Senior coach Ross Lyon floated the idea of playing the goal sneak on the ball in the future following last year’s rousing round 7 win over Collingwood, when Walters starred in the fourth quarter after being swung into the middle.
Walters welcomed any role his coach gave him, but he hinted his heart still remained closer to the big sticks.
I’d like to play in the midfield, but at the same time I’m enjoying playing up forward,” he said.
“Our forward group works really well together and I’m hoping I don’t miss out on being a part of that.”
