While the Tigers are among the last clubs to return to pre-season training – a result of playing all the way through to the Grand Final – Burge said the club viewed the late start as a positive.
"People may perceive it as delayed, but we don't view it that way," he said.
"We played three high intensity finals football games and our VFL team played in four.
"So we actually look at it that we've got those extra weeks of high intensity conditioning in our bodies.
"We've got a really well prepared group who have come back off their break doing programs, so for us it's business as usual."
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-12-05/ankle-surgery-setback-for-premiership-tiger
