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With just 146 days remaining before Opening Day, the Red ‘n’ Blacks tonight returned to their ancestral home at Barkers Road to renew old acquaintances and welcome some new faces.

Those who entered via the front gate would have seen the Bowens Wagon Queen Family Truckster Team Manager parked across the road, a sure sign that Team Manager extraordinaire Terry Landrigan was there to greet them.

Among the first timers were coach Paul Satterley and two of his assistants, Archie Whiting and Lachy Walker, who introduced themselves to their charges and then handed over to Robbie “The Weapon” Grey, who put the group through their first running drills of the spring.

But as is the modern way, the footballs came out shortly thereafter and the conditioning coach exited to the sidelines to check on the numerous players sporting casts, braces, and bandages.

Coach Satterley seemed pleased enough with the squad’s first hit-out. “It’s great to meet a lot of these guys for the first time and I look forward to working with them.”

It was difficult to single out the star performers, as the large squad trained together, and appeared to find some synergy. U19 premiership players Michael Batten, James Dalbosco and Tommy Hart looked sharp. But they weren’t alone.

The veteran Scott Mollard made his traditional appearance at First Night and again turned heads.  “Who is that bloke?” asked the young Alex Trigar.  “He’s training the house down”.  

There will be plenty of opportunities for others to shine, as training continues each Tuesday and Thursday until Christmas.