The 26-year-old centre-back, who missed out on the 2014 edition of the World Cup in Brazil through injury, recently spent time on loan at Grasshoppers Zurich to maintain fitness leading into the competition.

"Yeah I'm feeling good, it's nice to be in camp again and we've got a professional staff here who can take care of me and get the rig into the right order,” Sainsbury said.

Sainsbury also had glowing remarks for manager Bert van Marwijk, whose 26-man preliminary squad are currently preparing for upcoming friendlies against Turkey and the Czech Republic.

"He (van Marwijk) knows what he wants and he's going to get that through the boys, he's teaching us slowly but just quick enough to get us ready for what's coming up ahead,” he said.

"He has a specific idea which he's implementing now."

“I think this team has untapped potential. We’re going to go on a good run in Russia, I can feel it in my bones. I'm excited about the games coming up.”

With competition for places heating up, Sainsbury is under no illusion that the players selected will need to leave it all out on the training ground to impress van Marwijk as he makes the cut from 26 to 23 players for the final squad.

"I think we're training the hardest we possibly can at the moment and the way you train is the way you perform on the pitch,” he said.

"If we bring our all in training, we'll do the same when it comes to the matches when it matters."

"Every kid dreams of the world cup and I'm still dreaming to this day, so until I'm there on that pitch, I’ll keep dreaming."

While he's never been part of a World Cup camp, the imposing Perth-born defender has an idea of just how the next few weeks will unfold in the lead up to their opening clash against France on June 16.

"It will start to feel a bit different,” he acknowledged.

"Obviously the preparations and the tackles might start flying in a little bit more and the desperation might get a little bit higher."

"I think you might see the desperation start coming out because everyone knows they want to be part of that final squad."