Melbourne preseason training

[Purple 77]

These are awesome reads, cheers Barra and Demonlanders.



Grimes probably the most interesting to hear about... still in the process of trying to forgive him for kicking OOTF against port adelaide in the dying minutes of the game, but he was my favourite player once upon a time, and I still think he can be a great player, and more importantly, average 90+ in SC in the backline  :P

[Barra13]

Yes, all this preseason hype has me reconsidering him for RDT :|

Had him the year before, had a slow start but came home strong. Hmmmm.

[Barra13]

From Burgo's diary;

Day 6: Saturday, January 17

7.45am

It’s another hot one. The boys are in for a tough session.

Brett ‘Fruity’ Allison gives a few words of advice and encouragement on the mini bus to the first year players â€" in between the 10 radio songs that are on rotation on one of the local stations.

He tells them that they’ll really enjoy the session because there is a lot of ball work, but it’s going to be “bloody hard” in the heat. He implores the draftees â€" Alex Neal-Bullen, Billy Stretch, Angus Brayshaw, Aaron vandenBerg, Christian Petracca and Oscar McDonald â€" to work hard for each other and help one another on the track today.

8am

Jack Trengove hasn’t done anything wrong. He’s been working diligently and tirelessly in his rehab. But when I arrive at training â€" and chat to sports science coordinator and rehabilitation coach Alex Sakadjian â€" I learn that Trengove’s morning has started as if he was punished.

Sakadjian tells me that he and strength and conditioning manager Rob Jackson woke Trengove up for a 3.30am training session. It wasn’t because Trengove had been late or done anything wrong. It was simply to get the players out of their comfort zone â€" and Trengove was not being left out, even though he’s overcoming a serious navicular bone injury.

Not only do the fitness gurus love getting up at this time, I find out that Trengove “loved” the challenge of getting get up in his quest to return to the highest level. It’s an admirable quality.

Sakadjian told me that he had flagged with Trengove to expect a call “during the night”.

After they had called Trengove, they picked him up from his apartment and took him straight to the gym.

At 4am, Trengove did a spin bike session and then an hour of weights. Then his session finished off with another 20 minutes on the bike.

Once finished, Trengove completes a recovery session, before having an early breakfast.

Incredibly, when the main training is on, Trengove keeps at it, boxing for about 30 minutes.

Trengove then heads to the gym and does a swim. In all, he does four sessions for the day: bike, weights, boxing and swimming. Remember this is a guy who is still in a moon boot, due to a foot injury. I’m tired just thinking about it!

For the players and coaches, it’s somewhat water off a duck’s back, but for your average Joe, it’s remarkable to comprehend.

Still, the commitment from Jackson and Sakadjian can’t be questioned either. They’re determined to do everything they can to help the players reach their goals.

Sakadjian says Trengove could be woken again during the night before the camp’s end. Wow!

The theory behind the early session for Trengove is that the rest of the group is working hard on the track and they want to keep the same approach for the players in rehab.

Sakadjian said Trengove “loves any challenge”. But he said the trio all gained something from it. When I see Trengove at the main session, he gives a smile and says it was a good session. He’s a quality young man and I really hope he bounces back after such a terrible tough run with injury in 2014-15.

Meanwhile, Roos gathers the troops together.

He tells the players that they’ve had several good team challenges throughout the camp â€" from goalkicking relays to paddle boarding.

But there is a challenge of a different kind brewing.

Roos announces that there will be a Masterchef challenge and a trivia night.

The trivia night will be held on Sunday night. Jade Rawlings will be the trivia master â€" something he has done throughout his football career and rises to the occasion for. He loves his music, pop culture and trivia, and has a dry sense of humour, so no doubt it’ll be a fun night.

Roos suggests that the trivia night will cover subjects such as â€" surprise, surprise â€" footy and general sports questions. The inside word is there will be a few other topics covered, so it’ll be another good test for the boys.

The Masterchef competition is at the suggestion of Simon Goodwin. Each of the groups must cook a dish for the coaches. The coaches will be the judges. This will be held on Tuesday evening.

The players must bring the dish to the coaches’ apartment.

Coaches will judge the dish on taste, because as Roos says “none of us are that qualified to judge on anything else, let alone presentation, because I don’t care about presentation â€" as long as it tastes good!”

From there, the coaches will determine the winner.

Roos says the smartest teams will go and do a little bit of a survey with the coaches to find out what they like.

The inside word from Roos is that he’s a man of simple tastes. But he says it’s going to be a bit of a challenge with the other coaches, who all have different tastes. Roos says “as long as it’s nice and tasty, I’m happy with that”.

8:30am

Training is under way. It’s the start of an incredibly solid session.

There is a good atmosphere at the Maroochydore Multi Sports Complex, with a host of Melbourne supporters out in force to watch on.

The Queensland Demons put a barbeque on for the locals and Melbourne fans. It really is a great atmosphere with more than 300 supporters at the ground. 

10.30am

The boys break for training and come inside the rooms for five to 10 minutes to effectively bring the players’ core temperature down.

Each line group gathers for a quick chat. The boys are dripping with sweat. But they’re pumping themselves up to “keep going again” â€" that’s the strong message filtering through the rooms.

10:40am

The players head back out on the track for another intense session.

It really is incredible to watch as they train until around midday.

Afterwards, I catch up with elite performance manager Dave Misson, who says the session was always planned to be one of the toughest.

The session is broken into four quarters with football drills.

At the end of each quarter, the players have to complete a running set.

Misson says the players “got through really well in tough conditions”.         

Jeremy Howe says it’s as tough a session as he can remember this pre-season.

12pm

The wheelie bins doubling up as ice baths are extremely popular.

Soon after the boys have done their recovery, they mingle with the locals, signing autographs and having photos taken.

It’s a great atmosphere and there is plenty of red and blue. On top of the tough session that the boys completed with gusto, it’s been a good day for the club.

1pm

The players and staff arrive back at the apartments before taking the rest of the afternoon and most of Sunday off. The squad will return back to the apartments at 5pm.

Several players have fishing trips planned; others are keen to hit the beach or simply relax during their time off, before preparing for another tough few days.

The staff gathers for a dinner in Mooloolaba before calling it a night.

[Big Mac]

Thanks for that Barra

I had some doubts about Melbourne's ruck department, but from how it sounds Spencer is more than capable of being the no. 1 ruck if required. And Jamar might even have another year in him.

[Barra13]

I think Jamar is actually looking really good and has another 2+ in him yet. He is a big solid unit, there aren't many that match him for pure size in the ruck department. I also think he can get back to his AA form this year the way he has been going.

[Purple 77]

I like to think Russian is one of the best tap-rucks in the AFL, so its good to hear how he is doing well, so hopefully he can do more around the ground  8)

[Barra13]

Day 6: Sunday, January 18

8am

Ahh … a rest day.

It’s nice to wake up having had a ‘Queensland sleep in’ (it’s never past 8am for Victorians holidaying in the beautiful sunshine state, is it?) after an enjoyable dinner the night before with the coaches and staff in Mooloolaba.

I drove one of the mini buses back from dinner to base â€" with coaches Paul Roos, Jade Rawlings, Dan McPherson and Andrew Nichol as passengers â€" and it certainly had its benefits. The great man, Roos, suggested we make a quick stop at Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.

As Roos and the rest of the coaches made their way into Ben & Jerry’s, I waited in the mini bus. Minutes late, Roos came back with a cracking mint choc number for me (complete with fudge topping, because he thought I’d be a fudge kinda guy). Thanks Roosy!

But my morning starts off with some frustration. I realise I’ve woken up on the couch after crashing on it while attempting to watch Rage. After all, January is retro month on the classic ABC show and who doesn’t love watching old Countdown, Rock Arena and GTK episodes?

It’s a good day to have some down time.

The first week of the 11-day pre-season camp has been a success, but after a demanding opening six days for the players â€" particularly in the stifling heat â€" the boys have been given the day off. And it’s a great opportunity for the players to see some of the local sights or just chill out.

A possible fishing trip is floated, but in the end, a relaxing trip to Noosa proves more popular for most of the players.

For the coaches, a round of golf is on the agenda. But unlike Friday’s hit, the coaches are playing 18 holes. In the heat, that’s hardly down time or splashing around in the water!

But Roos reflects on the first week of the camp, saying it’s “been really good”.

“The game plan we’re getting better at and we’re building strong relationships. We’ve turned over 20 players in the last couple of years, [so building relationships has been important],” he says.

“The challenge for these camps is to get enough of everything and not too much. You want the players to enjoy it and get to know each other well and not for it (the camp) to become a burden.

“We had a really solid training session yesterday (Saturday) and we’ve got a couple to go, so we’ve got to make sure they keep working hard. We want to get all the things we set out to achieve at the camp â€" not just one thing and ticking one box. So overall, the first week has been good.”

Elite performance manager Dave Misson says he’s also pleased with the start.

Misson says it was important to give the players a day and a half to themselves so they could recharge for another testing week. He says they’ve deserved the day, but they’ve got to be ready to go next week.

He says the coaches and fitness staff have been “on to the players every day” and that will continue.

Misson says Monday, Wednesday and Friday are usually the big sessions, but every day has been big up at Maroochydore. Overall, he’s pleased with the way they’ve responded.

5pm

The players had to check in with the physios back at 5pm in readiness for four days next week.

7.30pm

The players and staff gather in the Maroochy Room in the hotel complex for a 30-minute meeting on the game plan. Vision and discussion among the players and coaches is gone through from training, before Jade Rawlings launches into one of his famous trivia nights.

There are several teams for the night. I’m watching on and near two teams. One consists of players Dean Kent, Heritier Lumumba, Neville Jetta, Jack Watts, Jeff Garlett and Jay Kennedy-Harris, plus footy staff Misson, Brad Miller (development coach) and Zeeshan Arain (doctor).

The other team close next to me features Daniel Cross, Nathan Jones, Christian Petracca, Jack Viney, Viv Michie, James Harmes, Angus Brayshaw and Dom Tyson, plus Ben Mathews (midfield coach) and Sean Larkin (football administration).

Rawlings has four categories for the evening: general knowledge, politics, geography and sport. And there are some doozies in there too!

Here are four examples:

General knowledge: What is the second largest planet in the solar system?

Politics: Name all of the current premiers in our country?

Geography: Name the six countries with these six cities â€" Warsaw, Copenhagen, Oslo, Nairobi, Lima and Brussels?

Sport: Four NBA teams don’t have an ‘S’ at the end of their name. Name those teams?

Now you’ve been given a sample, I’ll give you a few moments to ponder those questions …

Ready?

Not quite?

Need more time?

Ok, here we go … the answers are:

General knowledge: What is the second largest planet in the solar system? Saturn

Politics: Name all of the current premiers in our country? Colin Barnett (Western Australia), Jay Weatherill (South Australia), Campbell Newman (Queensland), Will Hodgman (Tasmania), Mike Baird (New South Wales) and Daniel Andrews (Victoria)

Geography: Name the six countries with these six cities â€" Warsaw, Copenhagen, Oslo, Nairobi, Lima and Brussels? Warsaw (Poland), Copenhagen (Denmark), Oslo (Norway), Nairobi (Kenya), Lima (Peru) and Brussels (Belgium)

Sport: Four NBA teams don’t have an ‘S’ at the end of their name. Name those teams? Miami Heat, Utah Jazz, Oklahoma City Thunder and Orlando Magic

Naturally, there is plenty of banter among the trivia night.

When Rawlings is asked about bonus points, disputed answers and other typical grumblings at trivia night, the backline coach says with his direct, deep voice: “I’ll make it up as I go along.” It draws plenty of laughs.

With a big session planned on Monday morning, Rawlings decides to cut short the quiz. It’s a fun way to finish the evening, after a pretty focused meeting about the game plan.

But as we finish the evening, one story comes out for the day from the players’ trip to Noosa.

We learn that Aidan Riley has been stung by a jellyfish!

Yep, the hard-at-it midfielder came off second best after attempting to take a skimmed tennis ball catch in the Noosa surf.

Riley lands on the jellyfish â€" did he attempt to tackle the marine animal? But instead, Riley comes off second best.

When I chat to him about the incident, he lifts up his tank top and shows a bit of a rash. But it’s nothing that will stop the clearance specialist.

[Barra13]

A bystander from Monday's training session;

A few observations from today's training:

* I'm getting a little tired of training reports so today's is brief, but I'll dig deep Tues/Wed and keep setting the standards. Saturday's reports show that the work I'm putting in is starting to pay off. Focus Bruiser.... last quarter ... push it out mate!

* Another humid one and the sun had a real kick in it when it showed itself today.

* No sign of the coaches for the first 2/3 of training, they showed up for the match sims. First time I've seen Stafford at camp today.

* Skills were a little off I thought early on, with the fumbling a touch contagious. The skills got better though once they cleared out the weekend's cobwebs.

* Earlier part of training not quite as intense as Sat, but it picked up as the session went on.

* Stretch's speed and skills - wow

* Noticed Toump a bit more today.

* Harmes had good intensity and good skills I thought.

* A lot of the players sounded like coaches out there today.

* Tommy Mac back to the change rooms for something.

* Oscar Mac's kicking a little better than Sat - Better than I thought.

* Crossy's kicking does look to have improved.

* Whitey's kicking is right up there with some of the best left footers I've seen - bullets

* Jonesy reckons Newts is going really well. Real happy with him.

* Young guys setting the standards at times in training. (Come on young Demonlanders, got to step up to the mark with some good training reports back in Melbourne)

* Later in training Jonesy really happy with the standard being set.

* Vandenberg stands out the most to me today. Has been in rehab a lot but more involved today. Really sharp hand-balling and strong precise kicking. A good find - Look for him to impress in the NAB cup if fit, but looks right to go right now.

* Garlett 70m Torp goal, makes it look easy.

[Barra13]

Burgo's diary;

Day 6: Monday, January 19

6:30am

I start the morning having breakfast with my great mate Matty Goodrope, who arrived the previous day. Matty is an outstanding young man, who continues to give the club great service. He’s adept in several roles, but predominantly does production on the website. He’s also a talented snapper (check out his pics on melbournefc.com.au â€" it’s worth it!).

We walk to the hotel and on the way it’s like going through the reptile park at the zoo. The number of lizards that dart around is quite amazing!

I bump into Aidan Riley and ask him how his jellyfish sting is from yesterday. He’s going ok, but it’s made a bit of a mark. He’s no dramas though for today. It’s certainly a different injury to happen on a pre-season football camp!

For the boys, it’s the start of the second week’s training and it’s going to be another full on session for the boys.

The ‘Fruity’ bus, driven by Brett Allison, is pumping this morning. He’s got the music cranked louder than it’s been. He is word perfect on Taylor Swift’s Style, given he’s heard it “15 times a day” courtesy of his young daughters.

An iPhone gets plugged in and soon a mixture of â€" shall we say â€" mixed songs come on. Fireball by Pitbull Feat. John Ryan and then You’re the voice by surely you know who comes on. Flo Rida Feat. David Guetta’s Club can’t handle me, Avicii’s Wake me up follow. Then Christian Petracca flicks it onto a track, which will pump the boys The colour of the harder styles by Showtek. I’ve got to concede I had to Shazam that one for the purpose of this exercise!

Overall, the first-year boys are fairly quiet on the bus this morning. They seem focused, but I sense some nervousness about this week’s training session, given the ante is set to be upped again.

Allison gives the boys a quick word of encouragement as they depart the mini bus for the rooms.

8:15am

It’s preparation time. The boys know that the expectations are to take their training standards to another level yet again. It’s this demand that is taking the boys to the next level.

Paul Roos is outstanding at keeping the boys on their toes. He observes and takes it all in. He’s great at encouraging, but when he expects the players to step-up, they certainly know they have to.

And they respond.

9am

After warming up, elite performance manger Dave Misson springs a surprise on the players, informing them they’ll be doing a two-km time-trial.

It’s a tough start after a day and a half off, but it’s what’s required to take the team to the next level.

It’s interesting to watch training this morning as the leaders take training, with the fitness staff on hand to oversee drills.

The coaches then come into the session later on to conduct 20 minutes of game simulation. At the end of it, another running drill is held.

Overall, it’s a tough session to start the second week with, but not as big as last Saturday’s training run, which some players believed was the toughest so far this pre-season.

Misson says the boys were a little bit flat early on, which he says can happen after a day and a half’s rest, but after blowing out the “cobwebs” he’s pleased with their resilience to bounce back and have a good session.

He adds that the attitude, voice on the ground and effort can’t be questioned, particularly after the fitness staff “banged a fair bit of work into them” in the first week.

Summing up, Misson says they were always going to face a challenging first session this week, but he remains bullish about the next three days and says it’s a great opportunity for the players to top off a strong and successful camp. 

1pm

After lunch at the ground, the players head to the Suncoast Fitness Centre.

Misson says it will be Melbourne’s last big weights session for the camp, although the team has another weights session planned on Wednesday.

The focus for today is legs â€" and the weights pushed are heavy indeed!

It’s a full-on session after this morning’s training.

A team meeting is also held during the afternoon, before the players have some down time, before the evening’s dinner at Alexandra Headlands Surf Club.

6pm

The ‘Fruity’ mini bus trip ended up being a battle between two young DJs.

On the way to the Surf Club, Petracca opened his set with some pulsating beats.  After dinner, Neal-Bullen closed the set with a set-list that perhaps appeased the fans a bit more. Both DJs had a crack. I’m sure it’ll be the same on the field!

The food was plentiful at the Surf Club and the boys had some serious height going on their plate. Some of the boys can seriously eat.

Now, Jordie McKenzie is not carrying any excess weight, but gee whiz he stacked his plate pretty well. McKenzie is a good country lad, so I guess it’s no surprise. But his plate looked like a mound of grass covering his meat. 

It was enough for Roos to be impressed by his effort!

Jack Viney is also good on the fang. He attacks his food like his footy, so I guess that’s no surprise either. He’s a beauty, young Jack!

Nathan Jones presented the club with a Melbourne jumper and the boys were happy with their combination of steak, chicken, fish, vegetables and salad (and hot chips for the coaches and staff).

It was a reasonably early night, but after a tough first day back on the track, the group was ready for some quiet time.

The boys will be back out at Mooroochydore Multi Sports Complex on Tuesday, for day nine of the pre-season camp.

[Barra13]

From a bystander at the session;

*Slightly cooler today, but only by a smidge.
*Roosy takes up his post in the Cherry picker again.
*Vince only one running separate from the main group.
* A fair few tackling drills today - Going in hard.
*ANB getting praised for his disposal - I concur.
*Brayshaw prides himself on his disposal - you can tell.
*Newton looks to be a good pickup. Impressed me several times today. Disposal and inside 50's awesome. You can see a bit of Port play about him also.
*Good spirit amongst the guys, playing what looked to be a cross between ring a ring a rosie & pass the parcel football style.
*Good kicking early on. Some guys hot and cold between days, but overall looks pretty good.
*Looks like being a big session, geeing each other up to keep setting the standards.
*Vanders, Harmes & Kent all with the main group (not rehab today)
* Petracca good vision & hands.
*Garlett looks sharper today - good speed and best I've seen him all camp today.
*Not a big fan of the attitude today. Seem to be a bit tired, grumpy and getting up each other (long camp)
* Vanders doing pretty well again, getting lots of direction about where to go on the field today.
*The guys who still have to prove themselves are constantly standing out for their efforts. Suprise-suprise
* Vanders high half forward, Brayshaw high half back in Sims.
*I get a higher perch to see what Roosy likes so much about being high up. It instantly occurs to me how much of a difference the good kickers make to the game plan. The lefties in particular (Hawthornesk) open up the game so well. Newton, Kent, Whitey - It reminds of what Davey used to do.
*The session is taking a little nose dive at this point - A few look a little over the camp and starting to mentally switching off. Looking for the finish line - My advice....get some more Carbs for the brain, it supposedly runs exclusively on glucose.
*Lamumba streaks out of the middle with a nice read - He did some nice things today.
*Roosy addressing the troops, hope he is telling them to lift their game.
*Petracca a little off early, but lifting his efforts now & impressing again. Roosy has definately told them to finish off the camp strongly and they all picked up their standards - well done boys.
* Matt Goodrope looks like Trennners from a distance.
*Howie dancing a little jig, hammy can't be too bad.
*Newton a good tackler as well - Is there anything he isn't good at, any weakness? Haven't found it yet.
*Into a few drills to get something right and then back into match sims. Finishing off strongly now.
*Roosy more happy with them now.
*JKH/ King/ Watts & Howe off to ice up early. Didn't see Howie train again but I could be wrong.
*Kent & Riley doing a bit of extra running at the end (catch up from being in rehab I suppose)
*Bit of specific individual training to finish off.
* Signing off from Maroochydore. It's been a great week and a half. I realised afterwards just how much I have got out of going along each day. You definatley feel a part of it in a way and it's a real boost to the work day.
*Well done MFC - now go and win some games.

[kilbluff1985]

sounds like ANB will get opportunities in the seniors

[Purple 77]

Newton slowly but surely seems to be getting more and more praise these days, good to hear

[Ricochet]

Newton slowly but surely seems to be getting more and more praise these days, good to hear

+1

Have him in my sides and its always good to see a young recruit do well at their 2nd club. Hopefully he continues it through the year

[Nige]

Newton slowly but surely seems to be getting more and more praise these days, good to hear

+1

Have him in my sides and its always good to see a young recruit do well at their 2nd club. Hopefully he continues it through the year

All aboard the Newton hype train, some of these new Dees look terrific.

Lumumba, Newton, ANB all in my side.

[Barra13]

Last entry from byrgo's diary;

Day 10: Wednesday, January 21

7am

I catch Rohan Bail lining up for a coffee while having breakfast at the hotel. He loves his piccolo lattes.

“They’re just the right amount,” he says.

Bail says the camp’s been really tough so far, but he’s says it’s been great for the boys. But he knows that today’s session is going to be right up there as one of the hardest yet.

Bail is looking the strongest and fittest I’ve seen him at the club. He’s a fine young man and it was great to see him step up in 2014.

Soon, it’s departure time on the Brett ‘Allison’ Fruity Bus for one last time out to the Maroochydore Multi Sports Centre.

Fruity has given me the task of introducing some tunes to the first year players. Low Rider by War has to get a gig. If you’re unsure of the tune, check it out. I’m sure you’ll know it! I’m impressed the likes of Angus Brayshaw and Billy Stretch like some of the ‘older stuff’.

The first-year players are a good bunch. Aaron vandenBerg is the elder statesman at almost 23 years old and with no disrespect to the younger kids, you can tell he’s just that bit older. After all, he’s been out in the workforce and making money â€" literally, at the Australian Royal Mint in Canberra â€" before joining the club.

The other draftees, Christian Petracca, Brayshaw, Alex Neal-Bullen (Nibbler is his nickname â€" if you say Neal-Bullen really quickly, over and over again, it turns into Nibbler … or at least so I’m told!), Stretch, Oscar McDonald and Mitch White have all come straight from school to the club.

It’s a fascinating transition, when you think about it.

8:30am

It’s the last main training session for the camp. Again, another big session is planned.

During preparation, the Sunshine Coast Council, including Coralie Nichols from the council and a mad Melbourne supporter, arrives to make a presentation to the club.

After the team had its photo taken at Mooloolaba Beach last Friday, the picture has surfaced onto a surfboard, which is presented to captain Nathan Jones â€" an avid surfer.

Although it’s not one to ride the waves on, it’s an impressive memento for the boys. Nichols then gets her picture taken with Jones and McDonald â€" and the Melbourne surfboard!

The locals have really embraced the club with genuine warmth and enthusiasm, as the team has undertaken its pre-season camp on the Sunshine Coast.

Soon another presentation is made to digital media coordinator Anna Harrington, who is celebrating her 23rd birthday â€" a day after Jones turned 27. Both are good Mornington Peninsula stock!

8:30am

It’s Melbourne’s last big football session for the camp.

The focus is on the game plan, trying to execute skills and getting the ball movement going.

The players are feeling the pinch after some really tough training â€" as it is day 10 and the second last day of the camp.

Still, the players produce some solid work and complete another strong session.

During the morning, I speak AFLQ’s and Sunshine Coast regional manager Paul Tresise, who has been a great help to the club on its camp in the Melbourne rooms. He says it’s been huge to have an AFL club in the region â€" and if last Saturday’s supporter day was anything to go by, where a few hundred turned up, it was evident that day.

There was genuine support from the locals and red and blue fans and it reinforced the importance of football in the community.

During training, I chat with club doctor Zeeshan Arain, just generally about his role. He says one of the best stories to come out of the pre-season from his perspective is Jack Fitzpatrick, who has made significant strides with his diabetes.

Fitzpatrick, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes two years ago, has since been managed on standard dietary advice, which means he has to monitor his sugars. Every meal he has had to inject insulin.

Now he’s changed to a low carb/high fat diet and after a period of adaption, he’s maintained stable blood sugars and been able to train fully at high intensity, without losing strength.

He only needs to inject his long acting insulin at night, rather than with every meal.

Arain says it’s a way of managing his diabetes that will not only make his life easier in the short term, but he’ll also reap the benefits long term.

He adds that Fitzpatrick can now live a semi-normal life, because he doesn’t have to check his sugars all the time now. The idea is to normalise his sugars and avoid the long term complications, such as heart disease, kidney failure and neurological degeneration.

Since changing his diet, Fitzpatrick has had less hypoglycemic symptoms. By relying on fat as his main fuel, he can spare glucose for certain organs in his body and he’s less likely to have a hypoglycemic episode.

It’s interesting looking at Fitzpatrick now. He looks a picture of health at the moment and coincidentally I spoke to him earlier in the day and he spoke of how fit he was feeling and how glad he was to be finally getting through his first full pre-season, remembering the big man has had many injury setbacks along the journey. He’s a fine young man too.

12pm

The players eat lunch in the rooms â€" Heritier Lumumba and Ben Newton are tucking into their food near me â€" before undertaking their final weights session of the camp. The session is not as full on as others.

The rest of the afternoon is taken up with recovery and treatment, as the camp starts to draw to a close.

Property steward Anthony Brown and trainer John Stanaway are already loading the truck. It’s a massive operation. There are 45 boxes weighing roughly 850kg to send back to Melbourne.

It’s a big operation this AFL!

4:30pm

The final day of the camp is tomorrow and it’s effectively an early morning session before departure.

There is a little bit of mystery regarding the session, so it will be interesting to see what unfolds.

Following the session, the team will depart the Sunshine Coast and head back to Melbourne.

The players will then get Friday, Saturday and Sunday off and when you’re throwing another snag on the barbie for Australia Day, the boys will be hard at it training.