St Kilda key defender Hugh Goddard returned to training on Wednesday morning after being forced to leave last week’s Sunshine Coast camp due to heat exhaustion.

Renowned for his work ethic and application to his craft, Goddard was hospitalised on the opening day of the week-long pre-season camp after pushing himself to the limit under the brutal Queensland glow.

With the ink still drying on his new two-year contract extension, Jarryn Geary told the media on Wednesday morning that Goddard would gradually increase his workload this week as he transitions back into training.

“They had to pull him up for the rest of the camp and send him home, but he’s recovered really well and he’ll get back into training this week. He’s a stubborn kid, he probably trained to hard in the end,” Geary explained.

“He recovered for the rest of the week last week, it was obviously hot all week still and it took a lot out of him.

“I think he’ll come in today, see the medical staff and then they’ll keep assessing him and slowly work him back into it.

“Like I said, he works pretty hard and he’s hard to hold back so he’ll be looking to get out there and probably do the same thing, but hopefully not go as far.”

After being selected with pick No. 21 in the 2014 National Draft, Goddard played eight senior games in his debut season, showing more than enough promise to suggest he has a long and prosperous career ahead of him at the Linen House Centre.