Port Adelaide players put through gruelling early morning beach session on third day of pre-season training camp in Maroochydore
Shortly after sunrise, Port Adelaide players endured a gruelling training session on day three of the club’s pre-season camp on the Sunshine Coast. Some players walked away with battle wounds.
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As many Australians slept off Christmas party hangovers on Saturday morning, Port Adelaide players were copping mouthfuls of sand and heavy tackles from teammates.
25 members of the Power squad, along with several coaches, rose early to be at a Maroochydore beach for a gruelling session of grappling and handballing under pressure.
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For close to two hours, players battled one-on-one and in groups in a series of exercises that included trying to stop whoever they were matched up with from disposing of the ball and a Gladiators-style gauntlet drill of attempting to break a tackle then smother the footy.
There were clashes of the giants, such as Charlie Dixon jostling with Peter Ladhams, fierce lightweight duels, like Martin Frederick dumping father-son rookie Trent Burgoyne into the sand and mismatches, including 203cm, 98kg Scott Lycett taking on 187cm, 78kg Sam Mayes.
The final activity featured all players laying on the shoreline and completing 30 sit-ups together while holding a heavy rope.
Video 1: Ladhams v Dixon
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This video: Atley v Byrne-Jones pic.twitter.com/nZbVra3nlm
Lots of players finished the session with redness across their backs, while others, including second-year defender Riley Grundy, had grazes and cuts across their chest.
Port defender Dan Houston said it was intimidating to wrestle against his strongest teammates and coaches but it was also a challenge that would help the players.
“You know if you can match it with Charlie and Chad (Cornes) and give it your best … it makes you a lot better for the long run when you have to take down players who are smaller than you,” Houston said.
“It gives you a lot of confidence.”
The morning was a change from the outdoor sessions on the first two days of the camp, when Port focused on fitness and match simulation in searing humidity.
“We’ve built this culture where we help each other through and get around each other, which makes it a lot easier,” Houston said.
“It was good to jump in the water at the end.”