Jolls
Well-known member
You can't take anything from a few training photos on either side of the argument. What is portrayed by the media depends on what the journo/photographer is trying to have you think. Being flogged and having a laugh can happen at the same time.
Having personally done many "Army Camps" at places like Kapooka, Canungra and Tully over 35 years I can tell you that the "floggings" have next to nothing to do with fitness - although you have to be fit as a pre-requisite of you can't complete them. The purpose of the activities is to induce physical stress, to simulate battle stress, in a collective environment in order to develop comaradarie and teamwork. I can tell you from first hand experience that in order to push through humour is key - in order to pick yourself and your mates up when you are at a physical and mental low. Black humour at times; but certainly enough to induce a laugh between periods of extreme physical exertion.
I think part of our problem this season is that we had a programme that focussed too much on the wrong type of fitness. We developed a team that was lean to try and execute a fast paced game. I'll bet there was plenty of running and sprints and puking to get down to a lean team so we could play before the line and blow teams off the park with the pace of the play. This bit us in the arse!
I would prefer us to have a more balanced approach this coming season - our pigs and juniors need to put on some muscle while having a focus on the fast twitch response with ball and feet. Endurance is also required but it is something you build over a season otherwise burn out will occur. We need to be healthy and ready at the start of the season building to peak endurance around September.
Flogging players for the sake of fitness in the pre-season is counter productive - flogging them to induce stress in a collective environment to develop teamwork is another thing!
Having personally done many "Army Camps" at places like Kapooka, Canungra and Tully over 35 years I can tell you that the "floggings" have next to nothing to do with fitness - although you have to be fit as a pre-requisite of you can't complete them. The purpose of the activities is to induce physical stress, to simulate battle stress, in a collective environment in order to develop comaradarie and teamwork. I can tell you from first hand experience that in order to push through humour is key - in order to pick yourself and your mates up when you are at a physical and mental low. Black humour at times; but certainly enough to induce a laugh between periods of extreme physical exertion.
I think part of our problem this season is that we had a programme that focussed too much on the wrong type of fitness. We developed a team that was lean to try and execute a fast paced game. I'll bet there was plenty of running and sprints and puking to get down to a lean team so we could play before the line and blow teams off the park with the pace of the play. This bit us in the arse!
I would prefer us to have a more balanced approach this coming season - our pigs and juniors need to put on some muscle while having a focus on the fast twitch response with ball and feet. Endurance is also required but it is something you build over a season otherwise burn out will occur. We need to be healthy and ready at the start of the season building to peak endurance around September.
Flogging players for the sake of fitness in the pre-season is counter productive - flogging them to induce stress in a collective environment to develop teamwork is another thing!
Last edited:
