At least that’s the feeling in the Lions’ den as they prepare to defend their Group 4 first grade title with pre-season hit outs at Bicentennial Park.

The Lions regular early starts to the new season have always begun at the old No 2 Oval because of the Country Music Festival invasion of Scully Park.

This year the Lions have started with a larger and bulkier crew than normal.

“We do have a beefed up pack this year,” said long-term coach Tony La Chiusa.

“In the past we’ve had one of the smallest packs in the comp but this year we’ll be one of the biggest. We’ve got big Vids (Chris Vidler), he’s 115kg and Scotty (Rolls) is 105kg. Phil Beaton has bulked up to 105kg from about 80 as well. Having a year in Second Division helped him pile it on. He went back and had a year with his home town Werris Creek in their centenary year. He’s a great dummy half runner and back with us. 

“In the back row Adam Miller is 110kg and Shane Salvador tips the scales at 105kg. Shane had a funny year. Came from the Windsor Wolves at the start of the year but then hurt his leg and went to the USA. He came back and was man of the match in the grand final for us.  

“Brendan (skipper Brendan Hunt) has bulked up to 108kg as well but he’ll lose 10kg before we start.

“Then we have others like Shae Collins to come back while we d have some good young, big kids like Luke Byrnes and Dylan Windsor coming up from the 18s. 

They have a bit of size about them as well.” So we’re going to have a bit of size in the pack for the first time in a long while.”

He said the Foster 7s (February 23) might be the first event on the club schedule before they stage their own West 7s.