Physical performance manager to join Maroons in camp from 2016

THE Maroons will go into camp with a new physical performance manager — who is doing a PhD on a project in which he examines hormonal responses of players.

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STATE of Origin players once trudged on with the help of a magic sponge, did not do compulsory weight sessions and ate steak and eggs for breakfast.

The 2016 Maroons will go into camp with someone in a newly created role as physical performance manager who is doing a doctor of philosophy on a project in which he examines hormonal responses from rugby union players.

Chris Gaviglio, the head of strength and conditioning at the Queensland Academy of Sport, has been hired by new Maroons coach Kevin Walters to bring a fresh set of eyes to how the state’s favourite team is prepared.

One aspect of his thesis examines the effect of testosterone on performance by footballers.

“I want to have good people around me with (knowledge of) science which will help me _ there’s science involved in a lot of the things we’ll do,’’ Walters said when announcing the appointment on Wednesday.’’

Rugby league is not always welcoming to those from outside the fold and Gaviglio a former Australian discus champion in athletics, says he counts it an “honour’’ that he has been invited to help prepare the Maroons.

Gaviglio says he wants to co-operate with the NRL clubs of the players to help the Maroons be at their best during and after the punishing Origin period.

“I’m a week away probably from knowing what we are going to do,’’ he said.

“My primary role is of strength and conditioning, liaising with the clubs and high performance staff at the NRL to ensure the players are looked after.’’

Gaviglio, a long-serving Bath rugby assistant conditioning coach in England, said he has almost finished his Ph.D.

“I started it in England on the hormonal responses on rugby union players and led into other projects on readiness to play in rugby players,’’ he said.

“It translates quite nicely across to league — they are both aggressive-based sports.

“The marker I looked at particularly in my thesis was the levels of testosterone.

“Testosterone is associated with aggression and other really good of behaviours such as determination. We found in rugby union players if you increase testosterone it helps with power, speed and strength and also the higher they were on game day the more likely they were to win.’’

Asked how levels of testosterone can be increased legally, Gaviglio said: “A few ways actually, mostly around different physical and physiological stimuli _ I don’t want to be giving too much away here.’’

Walters said Gaviglio has “extensive experience around the world’’.

“He will bring some new ideas of what our guys do off the field and behind the scenes,’’ he said.

There are ways of monitoring testosterone levels leading up to game day, but these involve costs, Gaviglio said.

“It’s the cost benefit over the whole thing,’’ he said.

“You look at the reality of it in an Origin camp you have 10 days to influence and some of it will be looking at the strategies employed and relying on my knowledge and experiences and some of it may be doing some specific tests. That will come out in the planning phases.’’

Gaviglio was an assistant conditioner for the Wallabies and Bath and worked in sports science and conditioning for the Gold Coast Suns.

Asked if he had any experiences with Stephen Dank from Dank’s short association with the Suns, Gaviglio said: “In my first year there, there was Dean Robinson and Stephen Dank. They were in and out and let’s leave it at that.’’

Many players, he has found in other codes, are keen to explore new ways of preparation, recovery and nutrition to improve their football and extend their careers.