Players Undertake Intensive Camp In Wyong

weststigers4life

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http://www.weststigers.com.au/news-display/Players-undertake-intensive-camp-in-Wyong/65837

By Wayne Cousins

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It was intense, physical and punishing in every way. Three hours of non-stop training in very humid conditions set against a picturesque background in Wyong today.

Wests Tigers NRL squad were put through a series of extensive training sessions at the All Sorts Fitness Centre in Wyong this morning, ranging from boxing, wrestling and kayaking as part of the Competitive Edge Training Camps run by Hayden Knowles.

Under the watchful eye of NRL Coach Mick Potter and his support staff, the players – ranging from established stars to enthusiastic rookies – faced their toughest workouts yet in just the second week of pre-season training for 2013\. It was the first pre-season session for Wests Tigers internationals Robbie Farah and Adam Blair who returned to training today.

The boxing session saw the players join exciting boxer Jai Opetaia for some heavy pad work and ring workout. Opetaia became the youngest Australian boxer to represent his country at the Olympic Games in London this year.

The kayaking session saw players make a 5km round trip along the Wyong River. Forward Liam Fulton recorded the fastest time for the journey in a single kayak in a time of 54min.30sec.

Promising young hooker Manaia Cherrington and half-back Luke Brooks – from the Balmain Tigers SG Ball premiership winning side – recorded the quickest time of the double kayak teams in a time of 49min.40secs. Both are training with the NRL squad until Christmas before joining the Wests Tigers U20s side under coach Todd Payten.

Following the three hour session, the players enjoyed a barbecue lunch before returning for a weights session and a team meeting. Tonight the players will meet supporters at The Dam Hotel in Hamlyn Terrace as part of the Club’s It’s My Life Membership campaign for next season.
 
All Sorts Fitness Centre in Wyong this morning, ranging from boxing, wrestling and kayaking as part of the Competitive Edge Training Camps run by Hayden Knowles.
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Aptly named place to ramp up the pre-season training, the players would of been in all sorts after Knowles and Potter were finished with them today.
 
I don't know how tough the start to last pre-season was, I do recall the Wests Tigers held a couple of strongman challenges, but what I like about this pre-season so far, is the variety, and a training regime which will hopefully take the players out of their comfort zone.
 
In the UK some of the SL Coachs like to take players for 1 week of warm weather training in January usually somewhere like Lanzarotte. Will Mick decide that the Squad need some cold weather preparation and take them to the Artic to say hello to the penquins? :wink:
 
Mick Potter knows what his doing were working harder by sound of things which is a good thing hopefully we show everybody who we really are.
 
Considering how often we mentally clocked off in defence last season, perhaps some training similar to what the high end V8 drivers do around improving decision making & concentration through physical fatigue
 
as usual every club has never trained harder, players never been fitter, faster or stronger :slight_smile:
 
Most clubs work their butts off in the off season ,even under Sheens they would of

I'll withhold my judgement until we have had a few bad performances and some players need to be dumped to reserve grade to see whether the gloves are off

That will be the hard side of the job for Potter , not Pre season training thats for sure
 
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/wests-tigers-pushed-to-their-limits-in-tough-pre-season-workout/story-e6frexnr-1226515387549

SO WHERE the bloody hell is Eddy Pettybourne?

Last time anyone saw the Wests Tigers recruit - unmistakable with peroxide blond hair resembling Wesley Snipes in Demolition Man - he was paddling a kayak off down Wyong River.

But that was an hour back.

And since then, the rest of the Tigers squad haven't just re-emerged from their 5km trek in sweaty dribs and drabs, but started tucking into the steak sandwiches provided for lunch.

Elsewhere, skipper Robbie Farah is attaching an ice bag to his ankle.

It's the first of many pains incoming coach Mick Potter is expecting, some may say demanding, over what will be four days of torture here at the Competitive Edge fight camp on the NSW Central Coast.

Indeed, speak with the reigning English Super League Coach of the Year and he has nothing but praise for today's workout - all hard sparring, heavy ropes and wrestling drills.

"I want to find out who enjoys the grind," Potter says while watching his troops sweat. "See which players stand up - and which ones give up."

As the minutes tick by with no sign of Pettybourne, we wonder if maybe Potter will discover which player floats belly up too.

Initially, the shortest odds for a potential drowning hung heavy on Liam Fulton, the larrikin back-rower who fell from his kayak three, four, five times … and that was just pushing off from the rocks.

"But I've never been in a canoe before," he pleaded afterwards. "Or is this a kayak? I really have no idea."

Fulton, too, had the river run first up. Pettybourne, meanwhile, has been asked to complete his 5km trip down to an overhead traffic bridge after both boxing and grappling drills complete with mouthguards and UFC gloves.

"It's certainly a welcome back to reality," says Anasta who, when The Daily Telegraph passes by, has swapped a clifftop Bali marriage to Jodi Gordon for hard rights in a sparring session with Olympic boxing local Jai Opetaia.

Elsewhere Keith Galloway works the heavy bag. Lote Tuqiri, the heavy rope. While Benji Marshall and Tim Moltzen grapple like two rednecks whose cooler has only one beer.

And as for Pettybourne ... well, eventually he too re-emerges from Wyong River. Completely drenched.

"Some of us island boys, we just aren't built for the water," he says. "I must've fell out 10 times. And that was just on the way back."
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I love that he says he is looking to find out who loves the grind, who stands up and who gives up. This is exactly what we need. Our performances have suffered due to players who are not prepared to do the hard work so I think it is great that he is looking to weed these players out.

Hopefully he is prepared to put time into the guys that don't show these qualities in order to take their games to a new level. Guys like Blair and Benji could really benefit from this.
 
@wtfl1981 said:
WT miss folkes fitness regimes..
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Hayden Knowles is very good,he will be a key signing don't worry about that.
 
Benji can be blamed for a few things, and certainly for trying too much, and too often.
He is not an example of a player who gives up (e.g just look at his injuries :frowning: ).
 

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