It’s been four years since he stepped through the doors at Arden St in an official capacity, and Leigh Adams has loved re-acquainting himself.

“Being away from the AFL environment makes you just appreciate it … and being back at the old club which I’m still really passionate about,” Adams told North Media.

“2015 has been a long time … so [I’m] really excited.

“It feels like there’s a really good energy, a bit of excitement about the season coming up so it’s been really nice being back.”

With a new coaching group, Adams said the primary focus has been getting on the same page.

“The first two weeks, without the players, we just spent it getting to know each other,” he said.

“Also obviously getting to know the game plan and everything else that goes around the scheduling.

“We’ve formed a really close bond already which has been fantastic and hopefully that rubs off on the players and they feel comfortable to be able to come and speak to us.”

Adams said it’s also been about setting high standards.

“Initially these first two weeks we’re just looking to try and get the players … to set some really high standards so they get a bit of a jump on the five-plus years,” he added.

“And then it’s obviously about ticking off sessions, you want to get as much fitness into the guys as you can with a lot of education on top with a new game plan coming in with 'Shawry'.

“It’s about trying to educate these guys as best as they can so once we get to that Christmas break, we feel like all the guys are across the game plan and we can sort of shift into getting ready for the season proper.

“Once we get through this phase hopefully blokes are fit, injury free and got a really good handle on where the game plan is at.”

As development coach, Adams will work closely with the younger players in the midfield.

“Monday to Friday its looking after first-to-four year guys, so guys like Luke Davies-Uniacke and Bailey Scott,” he explained.

“So I spend a lot of time with them going through structures, working on extra skills, extra weights, fitness, whatever they need to do to hopefully fast track them to becoming an AFL player.

“And then on the weekend I’ll coach the midfield in the VFL along with Heath Scotland and David Loader so that sort of encompasses my whole role there.”

Adams said the experience he gained away from the AFL system has brought a new perspective.

“Being a senior coach you’ve probably got different roles that you need to play, so it’s not just turning up and I suppose just being with the players,” he said.

“You’ve got to put a lot of time and effort into the training plans, what goes on around the club. You played a lot of different roles so to be able to come back into the AFL system and have the support network around the coaches with analysts …  has made it a lot easier.

“Just to be able to focus purely on building relationships with the players and the technical aspects of the game instead of probably having to worry about every other stakeholder in the business … everyone seems to play their role and you just need to play your role within that which has been really nice to just have to deal with what I need to do.”