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The 49ers Are Refreshed in Australia and Preparing for the Opener vs. the Rams
Brayden Willis returns after being waived, giving San Francisco a blocker and special teams depth as it prepares for the season opener.
On Monday, the San Francisco 49ers held their first full practice of the week at AAMI Park in Melbourne, Australia, preparing for Friday's season opener against the Los Angeles Rams.
Following their arrival last Friday, players adjusted to the long flight, and head coach Kyle Shanahan said the training staff's instructions helped mitigate jet lag as the main factor.
On Sunday, San Francisco signed 26-year-old tight end Brayden Willis to the practice squad roughly 24 hours after waiving him; Willis remained in Australia with the team.
The 49ers retained the same eight captains from last year, led by quarterback Brock Purdy and running back Christian McCaffrey, entering the season after a 41-6 Divisional Round loss.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan changed his view on the Australia trip after seeing expected fan support in Melbourne, emphasizing that "our 17 games are" crucial to competition.