MELBOURNE tall Paul Johnson believes the Demons' pre-season program has left the players enthusiastic and raring to go for season 2009, despite starting two weeks before any other club.

This year's cellar-dwellers started their summer training on Monday 13 October, which was a fortnight before the next club – the Blues – commenced theirs.

Johnson, 24, said the early start to proceedings had received positive feedback from the players, and said there was little chance the group would lose motivation having been back training for so long.

"Coming back early, I first thought we'd get really stale but we've been having weekends off, which has been great because you get to go away and stay fresh," he told melbournefc.com.au on Thursday.

"All the boys are really enjoying it, and we're finishing by 12.30-1pm each day, so it sort of hasn't been a traditional all day, every day, six day a week thing.

"It's been good to do it over five days a week and work hard and go home, and everyone has been tired, which is not unusual for pre-season, but it's gone really fast.

"We're only four weeks away from Christmas and then we get a long break over Christmas, which will be good.

"All the boys are really enjoying it, I'm enjoying it and Joel Hocking [fitness manager] has been fantastic. There's been a hell of a difference and hopefully we get to see the difference on the field."

Johnson is two weeks away from joining the main group, after having surgery on his hip, ankle and hand following the end of his season in round 20.

He said while he traditionally enjoys pre-season training, he is expecting to experience itchy fingers shortly before the festive season as the Demons near three months of summer drills. 

"I do enjoy pre-seasons, but I always find that by the time you get to Christmas, you're ready to play games," he said.

"I do enjoy getting fit and looking at the other sides of football, like strength and running. It's good fun, and we've broken up into four groups and we have team games going so it's pretty competitive.

"A bit of fun and games makes it go a bit quicker anyway."

The Demons will train at their summer venue of Casey Fields on Friday morning.