Marrar coach Cal Gardner is looking forward to getting stuck into his first pre-season as Bombers coach

The Bombers had their first pre-season session on Tuesday night with Gardner looking forward to getting cracking on a solid block on the track before the start of the season at the beginning of April.

"Yeah I can't wait to get into the training side of things," Gardner said.

"Obviously the recruiting phase is well underway, but I'm keen to get stuck into it."

Gardner is pretty happy with how the Bombers list is shaping up with Marrar welcoming Connor Willis on board for the upcoming season.

"Yeah it's not too bad," he said.

"We have lost a couple due to people moving away, but we've also been able to pick up a couple to fill those gaps.

"We've still got a few that we are waiting to hear back from, so we are still hopeful on a few people.

"But I am very happy with where the list is at anyway and we've got some good young blokes coming through."

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The Bombers head into the upcoming season without important duo Jack Reynolds and Sam Emery with Gardner admitting the pair's departure is a big loss.

"It's massive losing Jack Reynolds who was our assistant coach and best and fairest winner," he said.

"But good on him for going to test himself at a bigger and better level.

"Then Sam Emery is a big loss as he got better as the year went on, but he has moved away for uni so we are understanding of that as well."

There has been a number of Farrer League sides that have been quite busy on the recruitment front including The Rock-Yerong Creek with Gardner believing that the Magpies will again be quite strong this season.

"From what I've heard they haven't really lost anyone and they have picked up a few quality players as well," he said.

"I think they will be right up there again and they were grand finalists last year, so I see them as being the ones to beat."

Gardner admits that he has been asked a few times if there is any pressure taking over from former coach Shane Lenon and while he admits that he has got big shoes to fill, he has also got a solid platform to build on and put his own spin on things.

"He's obviously done very well since coming to Marrar and through his whole career," he said.

"I guess there is that expectation, but I look at it as he has come in and laid the platform in terms of expectations of the playing group.

"That's there for me to build off, I'm not going to change heaps as what we had had going worked, but I will certainly put my own spin on a few things.

"We will have a good chat at the start of training just about the expectations and how we want to approach the pre-season.

"Discussions about the way we want to play and the standards that we are going to have at training and on game day."

Gardner was also looking forward to working alongside Bombers assistant coach Zach Walgers with him impressed with the leadership shown from the exciting young forward.

"I'm absolutely rapt to have him on board," he said.

"His footy IQ is really good and the way he sees and reads the game and talks to the boys is fantastic."

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