CARLTON’S emerging leaders have grown as a group this pre-season according to assistant coach Cameron Bruce.

Speaking prior to the team’s final training session of the pre-season camp on the Sunshine Coast, Bruce spoke of the benefits in spending time away from Melbourne as a collective.

Aside from building the boys’ fitness ahead of the beginning of the season, the pre-season camp has also been the perfect opportunity for the team to form strong bonds with each other.

“It’s been really good,” Bruce said.

“We’ve got some really hard training into the boys and continued to build the relationships among the group. There’s a good bit of spirit and energy out there.

“We’ve got an inexperienced group that are learning the characteristics of each other.

“To get away in an environment like this and be together for a full week, train really hard, recover really well, and spend some quality time with each other – it allows us to do that.”

Bruce has also been particularly impressed in the way the team has supported new co-captain, Patrick Cripps.

Cripps will shoulder the majority of the leadership responsibility during the 2019 season, after the loss of Sam Docherty.

Bruce is confident the mix of experienced players like Marc Murphy, Kade Simpson, Matthew Kreuzer and Lachie Plowman will provide Cripps with the on-field support he needs.

“‘Crippa’ got great development and experience last year going through a really tough year, so his leadership is growing,” he said.

“We’ve got great experienced players that are developing their leadership and ability to communicate on the field to be able to support Crippa. That’s part of what we’re doing at training.

“Guys are learning to lead better on the field when other players aren’t there. That’s what good sides do.”