After a breakout year in 2010, Essendon key defender Cale Hooker is hoping to take his game to another level this season.

Essendon training steps up a gear this week with the focus shifting to competitive match practice and Hooker says the Bombers tough and gruelling pre-season will hold the team in good stead.

“Nothing beats playing games of footy,” Hooker told Coach James Hird on Bomber TV.

“I’m really looking forward to the year ahead, we’ve been working really hard with the new coaches and the new game plan and now we’re just looking forward to the games starting,” he said.

With the NAB Cup just weeks away, Hooker says the intra club games can be used for more than just match fitness.

“It might be a good chance to get one up on a few teammates,” Hooker said

“I think Jake Carlisle especially. I owe him a couple from throughout the pre-season.”

Hooker missed out on a spot in the Bombers Australia Day cricket match but says the players hadn’t let Angus Monfries forget about his run of dismissals in the charity match.

“He even told me he was going to get a hundred the night before so that was pretty funny” he said.