SECOND year utility Alex Neal-Bullen says Melbourne is taking the NAB Challenge seriously and is determined to take winning form into the season proper.
The energetic and exciting young South Australian said the squad had been building for a genuine crack at the pre-season series.
“We’ve put a lot of hard work in over the last few months, so it’s a real chance to get a lot of confidence and take it into the season this year,” he said.
“I think the whole playing group has a belief that we can do something special.”
Neal-Bullen said his second pre-season had “definitely” been different to his first one.
“You know what to expect and the responsibility goes up quite a bit and it’s something I’ve learned a lot along the way,” he said.
“I’ve probably learned more in my second year than I have in my first. You realise as a person what your strengths are as a player. Prior to Christmas, I really had a look at what I needed to improve on.
“I’m working on that at the moment and for all of the second year boys, I probably speak for all of them when I say that it’s been really tough. You don’t get pulled out of many drills and you’re just learning that much more. You know what to expect coming into the NAB Challenge and the early rounds of the year, so it’s been a great learning curve.
“I’m sure all of the second year boys are in the same boat as me, and are just taking it in and getting to know the first year boys, because you know what they’re going through as we were doing it last year.”
The No.40 selection in the 2014 NAB AFL Draft said he was desperate to forge a career in the midfield.
“I was a born midfielder, so hopefully somewhere down the track, I can crack in there. I’m just learning off the boys, who are leading in there at the moment, like Vines (Jack Viney), Chunk (Nathan Jones) and Vincey (Bernie Vince),” he said.
“It’s another thing in the last few months of the pre-season that I’ve learned – I’m really trying to crack in with my craft and my body positioning around the contest.
“They’re really showing how I work around it. I’m also working with Gussy (Angus Brayshaw) and Buggy (Tomas Bugg), who has come into the club and been a huge influence on us young boys. He’s tough and loves getting the hard footy.
“Hopefully, I can crack into the midfield this year and see how we go.”
Neal-Bullen said Melbourne’s opening NAB Challenge match against Port Adelaide at Elizabeth was set to be a “good test” for the red and blue.
“The boys can’t be more ready I reckon,” he said.
“We’ve had a great pre-season and everyone has bought in. We’re just keen to get out there and have a good runaround and put everything into practice that we’ve done in the pre-season.
“Port Adelaide will be a good test for us, because they’re a great side and it’s over there in their home state. We can take a lot away from this weekend, so we’ll definitely have a good go over there and … come away with a lot of confidence as well.”
