He's the AFL's best and fairest but Brisbane star Lachie Neale is far from content with his own performance on the eve of the new season.
Neale was a dominant winner of last year's Brownlow Medal, polling 10 more votes than his nearest challenger as the midfielder played a key role in the Lions' charge to a preliminary final.
But if Neale's rivals expect the 27-year-old to drop off in the wake of his big win, they could be in for a rude shock.
"I probably missed a fair few targets going inside 50 last year, so I've been working a lot on my kicking; that inside 50 kick in particular," Neale said.
"Also, I want to become - there's no other way to say it - but a master with my hands.
"I've been working extra hard on my hands, which is my weapon, to try and master that, just be a one-touch player 100 per cent of the time.
"You're never going to get that but that's what I'm striving for."
Neale's work ethic and ambition will be music to the ears of Lions coach Chris Fagan, as he prepares his team to erase the disappointment of losing to Geelong and falling one game short of a home grand final in 2020.
That journey starts on Saturday at the Gabba against Sydney, with the Lions to head into the year without youngster Cam Rayner after he suffered a season-ending knee injury in last week's pre-season match against Gold Coast.
Neale wore Rayner's No.16 at training on Tuesday in a show of support for the 21-year-old.
It shows an extra awareness of the mental demands of life as an AFL footballer, something Neale has a new appreciation of.
"The physical bucket is pretty full with most AFL players but I don't think we tap into the mental bucket as much," Neale said.
"I've got someone I'm working with outside the footy club on the mental side of the game as well, so I've really tapped into that space.
"I'm in a really good head space to attack this season."
