Budding young gun Jack Billings is lighting up the track again this summer, according to St Kilda defender Jimmy Webster.

Billings, 22, was one of the most improved players at Linen House Centre in 2017, finishing a career-best 5th in the Trevor Barker Award after playing every game in his fourth season in the AFL.

“JB is one for me who has really stood out so far,” Webster told saints.com.au on Tuesday afternoon.

“Just like last year, he had a great pre-season and this year he has taken it to another level, which is really impressive.

“He showed last year how important a good pre-season is for your year ahead and he is leading the way again.”

Webster also produced a career-best season last year, finishing two places behind Billings in the best and fairest, following a winter where he entrenched himself inside Alan Richardson’s back six.

The Tasmanian didn’t take his foot off the peddle during his off-season. He sold his house before moving into a new place in Cheltenham, moving closer to the Saints’ new headquarters in Moorabbin.

“It was a pretty full on off-season,” Webster said.

“I sold a house and then moved into another house in Cheltenham. We’re all moved in now and it’s all going really well.

“I bought three chooks when we moved in, but I’m still waiting for them to lay me an egg – hopefully that’s not too far away."

Webster, who inked a two-year extension midway through last winter, returned home during the Christmas break where he rolled his sleeves up and got to work on a farm, putting fences up and marking lambs.

“I went back home to Tassie during the Christmas break, saw family and friends and did some work on one of my mates farms which was a little bit different,” he said.

“I love going back home, I always return feeling refreshed.

“It’s good to getaway down the bush and not have anything to worry about. You don’t think about footy at all, you’re just in the middle of nowhere.”