It was a sight to gladden the heart of every long-suffering St Kilda fan.
The start of pre-season training and there was not only Luke Ball but also Matt Maguire and Steven Baker looking fit and running strongly alongside the rest of their team-mates.
The star trio all missed last year's finals series due to injury when the Saints suffered an agonising third preliminary final defeat in just five seasons ensuring the club's premiership drought stretching back more than 40 years goes on.
Ball, who has a long history of groin problems, did not play after Round 18 last season after seriously injuring his hamstring against Port Adelaide while rugged tagger Baker played just two games for the entire season due to firstly suspension and then a knee injury sustained against Richmond in Round 7.
And Maguire played just four games and none after Round 7 due to yet another serious foot injury and he has now played just 14 of the club's past 52 matches since suffering his first serious leg injury in Round 18, 2006.
Considering that Ball is a former skipper and one of the AFL's most courageous midfielders, Baker is a former best and fairest winner and one of the league's toughest players and Maguire is one of the AFL's best key defenders, the difference that fit trio could make to the Saints in 2009 is obvious.
St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt said the sight of all three joining in the first day of the Saints' long build-up to the 2009 season had lifted the morale of all players.
"It's great for Bally - it's the first time he has been able to start the pre-season and join in with the main group," he said on Monday.
"And to see 'Goose' (Maguire) out there after a tumultuous few years is a positive sign early on but he has got a long way to go but it's great for the group and morale of all the guys to see him out there."
"And then there is 'Bakes' as well - we haven't had him for one and a half years with suspension and then injury last year so we have got a fair bit of improvement to come back into our team."
Considering the Saints finished fourth in 2008, despite the absence of three such crucial players, it is little wonder next year can not start quick enough for Riewoldt.
"I think we are in as good a position as anyone," he said.
"But in saying that from fourth to 11th last year there were just three games separating all those teams so there is a big group of teams there that are all quite even."
Another interesting participant on day one of training at St Kilda was former Melbourne defender Nathan Carroll, recently axed by the Demons following a string of off-field indiscretions.
Carroll, minus the long hair and 'Chopper Read'-style moustache which has made him one of the AFL's most recognised players in recent years, looked fit and is hoping to impress the Saints ahead of the November 29 national draft.
Riewoldt, a regular opponent of Carroll's during his Melbourne days, said the former Demon hard man could be a handy pick-up for the Saints.
"Clearly he is an experienced player," he said of the 28-year-old who has played 71 AFL games.
Meanwhile the Saints have also announced the appointment of former North Melbourne and Geelong player Leigh Tudor as an assistant coach.
Tudor had been working at Geelong as an assistant coach to Mark Thompson and in 2007 guided the Cats' VFL team to the flag.