Despite being drafted as a mature-age rookie from the NEAFL last year, 25 year-old Stephen Wrigley’s body wasn’t that much further advanced than his fellow teenage draftees in terms of AFL readiness.

But after an eye-opening debut season, Wrigley is feeling far more prepared physically as he approaches 2013.

“I’m probably just as inexperienced as (the younger players) are with the gym stuff,” Wrigley told LIONS TV.

“I started from scratch and am still just trying to learn all the exercises and improve my strength and core.”

“Coming into your first AFL pre-season, everything is a little bit unknown. A lot of the focus is on learning the basic techniques and movements.”

“Now, having done a full pre-season and weights throughout the year, you come into your second year a bit more prepared for the exercises, and we can start pushing the weights up a bit more.”

Wrigley has already noticed considerable improvements in both his, and his younger teammates’, physical performance after spending 12 months in the AFL system.

“Across the board, I think everyone’s been making good gains,” Wrigley said.

“When we came back from the off-season, I managed to do a personal best in both my chin-ups and bench press, so that was a good start.”

“Everybody’s improving. Crispy is starting to push the big weights – Yeoy as well on the bench.”

“Beamsy has always been good, but he’s really showing some of the boys up in the leg weights.”

“They’re just some of the boys that are doing well.”

Wrigley was one of three Lions rookies – along with Niall McKeever and Jack Crisp – to play senior football in 2012, and will be hoping to see more on-field action next season.