Former Horsham Saint Thomas Berry has comfortably settled into AFL life with the Brisbane Lions.
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The first AFL pre-season of a young career is generally a tough and testing period, but Berry said he had thoroughly enjoyed the new lifestyle.
"I'm absolutely loving it," Berry said. "Its been a really welcoming club."
Berry said having his brother there certainly helped the transition.
"Everyone has been awesome, the coaches and players have helped a fair bit making me feel welcome," he said. "It helped that I knew a few of them through Jarrod before but I definitely feel a part of the club already."
Berry said the hardest adjustment had simply been the Queensland weather.
In a recent interview with Brisbane Lions media, Berry had to excuse himself early as he started feeling sick in the humidity.
"Its just really humid, the first few days I was up there it was about 38 degrees and nearly hitting 40," he said.
"Its taken a little bit to find my feet and get used to it, but other than that its been really good."
After an injury filled year, Berry has so far been focusing primarily on fitness and gym work to get his body up to AFL standard.
While doing only physical work might sound daunting to some, Berry said he has been enjoying every moment of training.
"I've just been doing running and gym stuff so far to ease me into it, no ball drills and skills stuff just yet," he said.
I"ts obviously pretty intense but you just love it. I'm not complaining at all."
Berry has been given number 13 at the club, the same number he had with the Greater Western Victoria Rebels last season. His brother Jarrod also wore number 13 in his first two years with the Lions, but switched to number 7 for the upcoming season.
After Jarrod finished fifth in Brisbane's best and fairest this season, Tom will be hoping the number 13 serves him just as well at the start of his AFL career.
Berry is currently back in Horsham for a three week Christmas break, but training doesn't stop during the time-off.
"I'll keep doing stuff, probably running three times a week and still doing gym work," he said.