For the first time in his stellar career he started pre-season training on the back of a football-free September and for the first time in four years he hasn't spent some of the summer playing footy in Darwin.

Golden Square's shock slide out of the top five was one of the major stories in the BFNL in 2018.

The Bulldogs were hard hit by injuries, particularly in the second half of the season, but a lack of depth also played a part in their late season demise.

Geary said the disappointment of missing out on the finals had sparked the playing group into action this pre-season.

"The older players at the club have never experienced missing finals, so it's a real driving force to bounce back,'' Geary said.

"We could use all the excuses in the world about last year, but the bottom line is we didn't enough games.

"I thought we had a finals list last year, but we ended up with a few injuries and dropped the last few games which cost us.

"We had an extra month off compared to Strathfieldsaye and Eaglehawk, so by the time they were finishing off we were starting to get itchy feet.

"We didn't officially start pre-season training any earlier than any other year. It was probably good to get a bit of a spell and get the hunger back.

"I think the group did get that hunger back and that's showed in the pre-season."

With coach Bernie Haberman's game style firmly entrenched after two years in charge, Geary said the Bulldogs' pre-season has been more about fitness and skills than in previous years.

"We've had more emphasis on our fitness and skill level because we'll have a similar game plan to what we've had the past couple of years,'' he said.

"The playing group is more over the way we want to play, so we don't need to spend as much time on that."

Geary, who won his first Michelsen Medal in 2018, said the decision not to return to Darwin over the summer was a tough one because he enjoyed his previous four seasons in the top end.

"I was sore towards the end of last (BFNL) season, so I decided to manage myself a bit,'' he said.

"I found it harder last year, so I decided to give it a rest this year. I might go back next year, I'm not sure yet.

"I'm feeling better for it (not playing in Darwin). When you play finals in Darwin you can play right up until the week before round one of the BFNL, so it's pretty testing."

One of the most promising signs for Golden Square in the off-season has been the sight of Travis Baird on the training track.

The star key position player dislocated his shoulder twice last season and his absence was telling.

"Trav is keen to go around again and when he's on the track he gets everyone up and about,'' Geary said.

"In games he makes his team-mates walk taller and even at training he has a big impact by the way he brings the group together."

The Bulldogs will play Shepparton United, Seymour and Sunshine in practice matches leading up to their round one clash with Kyneton at the Kyneton Showgrounds on April 13.

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