AFL pre-season: Players burning up the track

There were some obvious candidates who burned up the track during the annual summer time trials, but also some unlikely types pushing their cause. Check out who stood out at your club.

The eternal pre-season challenge for AFL players lies in the ‘hybrid build’.

How can you get strong and explosive while simultaneously building your aerobic engine?

As former club fitness boss David Buttifant explains, it’s the question that earns high-performance chiefs their dough.

Too much endurance work could compromise a player’s power, but beefing up only to fail to run out four quarters would be equally damaging, he says.

It’s the delicate balance AFL clubs are trying to strike this summer.

Buttifant was Collingwood’s sports science director from 2000-2013, Carlton’s high performance manager from 2013-15 and now leads his own business called Resilience Builders, where he works with individuals and corporates.

He says the key lies in understanding what type of player the club is trying to develop.

“You really think about what type of player that player is going to be, how they are going to add value to our team, and it’s being specific and prescriptive. That’s the craft of the coaches and high performance team working together,” Buttifant said.

“You could say, ‘We’re prepared to compromise his 2km time trial because we want him to have those explosive characteristics — change position, have strength’.

“You can drop five kilos to run a sub six-minute 2km, but you compromise your speed and ability to push off your opponent.”

For one-rep max efforts, the strongest players in the gym bench press more than 150kg, and squat and deadlift 200kg-plus, Buttifant said.

Such lifts are typically achieved by the big full-forwards and ruckmen. Levi Casboult was one under Buttifant’s tutelage, as was Chris Tarrant before him.

However, some players’ genetics are such that they can push those hefty numbers in the gym while also testing the six-minute barrier on the 2km time trial.

“Some of these guys are probably only 85kg, but powerful. They’re pretty phenomenal athletes, the jack of all trades. They’re a hybrid athlete – they’re not like an NFL player (anaerobic focused), or a 1500m runner (aerobic),” Buttifant said, citing Dane Swan as a prime example.

“He was probably around 91-92 kg, but he could do that (weight) and run a strong 2km,” he said of Brownlow medallist Swan.

“Charlie Curnow, he’d be a fair athlete. Tim Taranto, he’d be a good athlete too. Every club has (strong hybrid performers).”

These days, clubs are secretive over the numbers players are pushing in the gym and achieving in time trials amid the threat of competitors gaining inside knowledge.

But with pre-season to ramp up in January, News Corp has compiled a list of each club’s key early performers in the gym and on the running track.

ADELAIDE

Running

The Crows are again preparing under the renowned Darren Burgess and opted for a 4x1km time trial for first-to-fourth years, with running beast Chayce Jones winning it ahead of big man Riley Thilthorpe. Lachie Sholl, Brodie Smith and Wayne Milera have also looked strong.

In the gym

Rory Sloane has been mostly in the gym as he builds strength back in his legs following a knee reconstruction, however has emerged from some running drills in the early stages of pre-season. The Crows’ other star Rory — Laird — is in “ripping nick”, according to fitness boss Burgess.

BRISBANE

Running

Endurance specialist Harry Sharp took out the 3km time trial, leading the group from start to finish. Hugh McCluggage finished second, with Zac Bailey next spot on the podium.

In the gym

Captain Dayne Zorko has been spending extra time in the weights room as he looks to put a nagging achilles issue behind him. Cam Rayner continues to look thick as the 2017 no. 1 pick eyes another improved season.

CARLTON

Running

Matt Cottrell and draftees, particularly Ollie Hollands — who broke six minutes in the combine 2km time trial — and first-year wingman Jaxon Binns have impressed with quick times on the track.

In the gym

The club says Cottrell has piled on five kilograms, while Jacob Weitering has also been working hard in the gym after an injury-interrupted season. Corey Durdin (shoulder) and Matthew Kennedy (foot) successfully rehabbed their respective injuries to return to training.

COLLINGWOOD

Running

Who else but Nick Daicos? The precocious Pie dominated the 2km time trial when the first-to-fourth years returned. However, he left the training track the following week with what assistant coach Hayden Skipworth said was Achilles soreness. Isaac Quaynor was the strongest performer in a yoyo style running drill in the same session. Draftee Jakob Ryan’s flowing mullet was on show during his own impressive running efforts, while recruit Tom Mitchell was often up the front.

In the gym

Quaynor’s running prowess is made more impressive by his frame, which he seems to keep adding size to. Dan McStay has also put his big physique on show after arriving from Brisbane, which sets him up for what shapes as a pack-crashing role up forward. Club legend Scott Pendlebury keeps looking thicker in the twilight of his illustrious career.

ESSENDON

Running

Star defender Mason Redman won the 2km time trial, ahead of Jake Kelly and Will Snelling. Redman shot up in 2022 to become one of the league’s best rebounders and clearly isn’t slowing down. Massimo D’Ambrosio is relishing the chance to get fitter, saying in December “I need a pre-season … I felt a bit unfit”.

In the gym

Fringe pair Nick Bryan (ruck) and Brandon Zerk-Thatcher (defender) both looked beefed up ahead of bids to crack the best 22, while Nic Martin also focused on adding weight after a stellar debut year.

FREMANTLE

Running

Surprise: Andrew Brayshaw won all four of Fremantle’s 1km time trials. He claimed the first three of them with ease, before mature-aged recruit Corey Wagner pushed him on the fourth. Travis Colyer, Ethan Hughes and Lachie Schultz were other contenders.

In the gym

Liam Henry has put “a few kilos on” as he eyes the wing spot left vacant by Blake Acres, who departed to Carlton. Recruit Jaeger O’Meara has shown the Dockers he is a “pro” in the gym, coach Justin Longmuir said.

GEELONG

Running

Draftee Osca Riccardi has been shadowing Max Holmes in the early stages of pre-season and it’s no surprise given both are supreme track athletes. The Cats have been quiet after winning the premiership but Mark Blicavs is traditionally the one to beat. He’ll likely be pushed by Irishman Mark O’Connor through the summer.

In the gym

Tanner Bruhn wasted no time hitting the gym when he arrived at the club from GWS, while young trio Ollie Dempsey, Mitch Knevitt and Toby Conway all put in early weights work.

To be continued