Penrith Panthers prop Leilani Latu’s pre-dawn fitness sessions to shed kilos

IT was the one-man ‘’fat camp’’ that stretched 23 straight days and included cruel 3.45am starts at the Panthers Academy.

Lelani Latu during a Penrith Panthers media session at Panthers rugby league academy, Penrith. Picture: Gregg Porteous

IT was the one-man ‘’fat camp’’ that stretched 23 straight days and included cruel 3.45am starts at the Panthers Academy.

Leilani Latu learned the hard way never to report for pre-season training being more than 10kg overweight again.

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The Panthers prop told The Saturday Telegraph how an unimpressed coach Anthony Griffin ordered him to strip the fat by undergoing rigorous cardio sessions on his own before daybreak, then staying behind to complete more sessions.

Leilani Latu sweats it out during a training session at the Panthers Academy. Picture: Gregg Porteous

“The main goal the whole time was to make this team for round one, and I’m glad I’ll run out on Saturday,’’ said Latu, who will come off the bench in Saturday afternoon’s clash against St George Illawarra.

Just as centre Waqa Blake was flogged and threatened with a move into forwards by Griffin for being too tubby last pre-season, Latu weighed a whopping 125kg after he returned from six weeks and his own wedding in Fiji.

“I weighed in at 125kg, and I played at 114kg last year,’’ Latu said.

“I’m now at 115kg and feeling comfortable with that. ‘Hook’ put the onus on me. He said if you want to be a part of this team, you need to give yourself over to the team and be selfless.

“I was selfless for 23 straight days and lost as much weight as I could.

Leilani Latu hits the ball up for the Indigenous All Stars last month in Newcastle. Picture: Getty Images

“I had to come in each morning around 3.45am and do cardio by myself for about 40 minutes.

“There would be a break, then I’d get ready for conditioning with the team. I’d do a weights session with the team, then hang around in the afternoon to do another cardio session by myself.

“I had staff constantly on my back about trying to lose weight. They developed an eating program, and a schedule for when and when not to eat.

“It was difficult — but I learned not to come back in holiday mode ever again for the pre-season.’’

Latu was one of Penrith’s best last season and even talked up as an Origin bolter.

While pulling on a Blues jumper is a goal, Latu said it would only become a possibility if he featured each week in the star-studded Panthers forward pack.

The arrival of James Tamou and Tim Browne, along with Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Sitaleki Akauola and Moses Leota means competition for spots upfront is red hot.

Trent Merrin will also spend time in the front-row with Bryce Cartwright revealing he’ll switch to lock once backrower James Fisher-Harris is injected into the game.

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Latu praised premiership prop Tamou for helping him with his diet. Cadbury chocolate has been the hardest thing to quit.

The well-spoken 24-year-old who was thrown a lifeline by Gus Gould after a string of injuries left him unwanted by junior club Canterbury will be impossible to miss at Kogarah — and not because of his flabby frame.