READYING himself for a seventh AFL season, it didn’t take long for Patrick Cripps to catch the eye of the AFL world.

However, something caught the eye of the three-time John Nicholls Medallist after returning to Ikon Park for pre-season.

That is: the physical condition of his teammates.

Speaking to media at Carlton’s 2020 kit launch, Cripps said he couldn’t have been more impressed with how his fellow Blues had returned for training.

“Both myself and ‘Doc’… we texted each other: we were pretty pumped. The boys have come back in ripping nick,” Cripps said.

“That’s what you want to see as leaders, the young guys are that motivated that they get to their second, third and fourth years and get their bodies in a position to perform at AFL level.

“The boys are loving being around each other. We’ve got a good platform to build off.”

Conceding he may be looking after his midfield counterparts, Cripps outlined the likes of Paddy Dow, Zac Fisher, Will Setterfield and Liam Stocker as those who had impressed him in the early going.

What delighted Cripps across the board was the fact that it was clear his younger teammates were taking hold of their own futures.

“Basically every came back in PB (personal best) nick, I reckon,” he said.

“What it shows to me is that they’re really motivated and want to take the next step as AFL players.

“We’re at the stage now where our group is at an old enough level to know what they have to do in the break to come back in really good shape, which they did.”

In a personal sense, Cripps enters pre-season having “dropped a few kilos” after a season which yielded a third John Nicholls Medal as well as a second All-Australian nod.

The co-captain said it was critical to find ways to improve and gain an edge on those from rival clubs.

“As players, you always look at ways to improve: your body is your biggest tool,” he said.

“I’ve usually played at around 94-95 kilograms, I’ve never played at 92 or 93. You’ve got to try it out and see if it works.

“At the moment, I feel like I’m moving a bit better. We’ve still got the long grind of the pre-season.

“I’ll work out what weight I best play at. I know if this doesn’t work, I can quickly chuck a few kilos on and go in the weights room.”