How an overweight Robert Jennings shed 12kg to turn his career around at South Sydney
ROBERT Jennings took a look around and realised he was surrounded by just forwards. The winger had come into pre-season about 12 kilograms overweight and was suddenly fighting for NRL survival.
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ROBERT Jennings took a look around and realised he was surrounded by just forwards. The South Sydney flyer had come into pre-season about 12kg overweight and was suddenly fighting for his rugby league survival.
He was off-contract and far from a walk-up start in South Sydney’s start-studded backline before a frank conversation with coach Anthony Seibold lit the fuse for him dropping from 114kg down to 102kg.
“I enjoyed my off-season a bit too much,” Jennings said. “I was disappointed in myself coming back that heavy but I worked on it and worked very hard to strip down to the weight I needed.
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“My usual playing weight is about 102. I had to lose a lot of weight.
“We did our testing and saw that I wasn’t where I was the year before. My body wasn’t in the shape it needed. I knew myself it’s not where I wanted to be. We just sat down and (Seibold) had a talk to me. He told me ‘we need to get you lighter’.
“He wasn’t trying to force me but I knew where I wanted to play at and how I play my best footy.”
Jennings said off-season trips to the Maldives and Thailand saw him stack on the weight. He was given a quick reality check when he languished behind forwards in the pre-season drills.
“It was tough going that first day back,” Jennings said. “I was at the back. I was all around the forwards. Being an outside back, it’s expected you to be up the front but I was beside the forwards.
“I love food. Don’t get me wrong. I have to watch what I eat. Staying away from carbs is the big thing. I basically have no carbs now.”
Jennings started on the wing in round one for the first time in his career and has gone on to become one of the success stories of the season.
Injury robbed him of finishing on top of the tryscorers list having scored 18 times from as many appearances including four against brothers and Parramatta duo Michael and George.
Jennings, who is set to re-sign with the Rabbitohs, has been the beneficiary of playing outside Greg Inglis for the bulk of the year, with the pair to combine again against Melbourne on Friday night.
“When I did drop that weight my next focus was playing good footy and working on my skills.
“I’m grateful to get the opportunity to play round one. It’s a lot of fun playing besides Greg I’m still pinching myself.
“Our attacking system is working for us. We haven’t tried to change anything up.
“It’s my first finals. From hearing what everyone saying it’s a whole different comp but I’m feeling ready.”
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