NRL fittest, fastest, strongest 2021 Part II: Rugby league’s super men
These are NRL clubs’ most closely guarded secrets — the superhuman feats players put out in the gym and on the training paddock. Read part two here.
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Meet rugby league’s ironmen. The physical freaks who are churning out amazing feats both on the field and in the weight rooms.
As part of a special part series, News Corp Australia takes you behind the locked doors of NRL gyms to reveal the true pace and power of rugby league’s incredible athletes.
We’re talking the speed of boom Warriors recruit Reece Walsh, who has burst onto the scene after leaving the Broncos.
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The strength of Ethan Bullemor at the Broncos, who can outlift giant teammates like Payne Haas and Tevita Pangai Jr.
And the all-round fitness of Connor Watson, who not only leads his Knights teammates as the fittest bloke at Newcastle, but could be the fittest bloke in the game.
Check out part two below, and if you missed part one just click here for the first eight teams.
WARRIORS
Fittest: Wayde Egan
Fastest: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Reece Walsh
Strongest: Bunty Afoa (180kg bench press, 200kg squat), Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (pound for pound)
Telstra Tracker top speed: Reece Walsh 35.2kmh (Round 7 v Storm)
Telstra Tracker total distance covered: Sean O’Sullivan 9.170km (Round 4 v Roosters)
When rugby-bound Roger Tuivasa-Sheck plays his final game for the Warriors, the NRL isn’t just losing one of the game’s genuine stars - but one of its strongest players.
Despite a pack burgeoning with size and muscle in the likes Bunty Afoa, Ben Murdoch-Massilla and Addin Fonua Blake, Tuivasa-Sheck’s explosive power has the fullback on top as the strongest player across the ditch.
“His general strength, lower and upper body strength, is probably greater than the bigger boys, meaning he can move a weight comparable to his body weight at a higher level than the bigger boys can do,” Warriors head of athletic performance, Craig Twentyman revealed.
Tuivasa-Sheck also has a new rival in the speed stakes after the mid-season arrival of boom rookie Reece Walsh from Brisbane.
The teenager is an “exceptional mover from a changing direction point of view” and possesses impressive power and speed qualities. Those qualities will set him apart at the NRL level.
“You could see Reece’s talent there ... he’s obviously a very talented kid and he’s got speed,” Warriors coach Nathan Brown said.
“You look at the better sides, the blokes in key positions are quick. It’s a quicker game and he’s obviously quite talented.”
Bunty Afoa’s big hair is matched by his big numbers in the gym and based on pure strength alone, Twentyman believes the young forward is the standout in his squad.
But Afoa is kept on his toes by veteran forward Ben Murdoch-Masila, who returned to the NRL in season 2021 after spending six years in the English Super League.
“Ben Murdoch-Masila is very similar to Bunty, he’s not as strong from a lower body point of view but his bench press is on par with Bunty, and he is also our most explosive forward,” Twentyman said.
TITANS
Fittest: Beau Fermor
Fastest: Jojo Fifita, Alofiana Khan-Pereira
Strongest: Tanah Boyd, Jamal Fogarty, Pat Herbert
Telstra Tracker top speed: Jonus Pearson 34.7kmh (Round 6 v Sea Eagles)
Telstra Tracker total distance covered: Jamal Fogarty 8.675km (Round 2 v Broncos)
After his barnstorming effort against Souths last weekend, many would believe Gold Coast backrower David Fifita is the most powerful player at the Titans - but it’s actually his younger second cousin Jojo who holds that title.
The 18-year-old beat the likes of Fifita and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui in the club’s Counter Movement Jump while fellow development player Alofiana Khan-Pereira holds the CMJ record at 64cm.
Both Jojo Fifita and Khan-Pereira lay claim to the fastest players at the Titans as well, consistently clocking a 9.9 metres per second maximum velocity during pre-season training, according to Gold Coast head of performance Klint Hoare.
Edge backrower Beau Fermor has emerged as Gold Coast’s fittest player, setting a new club record over the preseason for the 1.2km shuttle run, when he completed it in 4min 31 seconds – placing him amongst the elite standard of NRL players.
All this even after he put on a whopping six kilograms of lean body mass over summer to his 100kg frame.
When it comes to the strongest however, there are a few Titans who can move a massive amount of tin.
Playmaker Tanah Boyd and centre Patrick Herbert can deadlift 2.6 times their own bodyweight, while Boyd can also bench press 1.8 times his bodyweight.
Pound-for-pound Jamal Fogarty is the strongest when it comes to squats, pumping out 2.1 times his bodyweight – beating the likes of Moeaki Fotuaika and Corey Thompson.
Club legend Preston Campbell was left in awe when he joined the club as Gold Coast’s specialist coach earlier this year.
“There’s plenty of fit guys there,” Campbell said.
“When it comes to fitness, Tanah Boyd is one of the smaller blokes who is very fit.
“But guys like Dave Fifita and Tino work really hard at training and pride themselves on their fitness.
“In the pre-season, I was really surprised with the big boys, such as Herman Ese’ese, but when it comes to players out the front, it’s always Fifita and Tino.
“They challenge each other and even jump in with the backs to challenge them.”
SHARKS
Fittest: Connor Tracey (4.2 minutes in the 1.2km)
Fastest: Mawene Hiroti
Strongest: Jack Williams
Telstra Tracker top speed: Mawene Hiroti 35.2kmh (Round 4 v Cowboys)
Telstra Tracker total distance covered: Chad Townsend 9.638km (Round 6 v Knights)
Like Parramatta’s new Mr Perpetual Motion, Clint Gutherson, there’s one man at Cronulla that is unmatched in the fitness stakes - Connor Tracey.
But while Tracey dominated fitness testing again this year, fullback Matt Moylan was shocked at the effort delivered from the unlikeliest contender in 32-year old veteran forward Aiden Tolman, who joined Cronulla in the preseason.
“Connor is our fittest but Blake Brailey doesn’t sweat, he’s pretty fit. Aidan Tolman was one that surprised me,” Moylan said.
“I knew he works hard by playing against him but seeing it first hand how hard he goes at training, the effort he puts in and in terms of his fitness testing results is pretty impressive.”
Tracey won’t be giving up the title of the fittest, especially to a forward, anytime soon though.
“I haven’t really lost a fittest test yet,” Tracey said.
“But that is something I have tried to do my whole career, is to stay fit. It helps you, it really does, especially in the second half of a game where I find I still have a bit left in the tank.
“At this level and with the way the game is going, it helps to have that fitness.”
KNIGHTS
Fittest: Connor Watson, Chris Randall
Fastest: Bradman Best, Kalyn Ponga
Strongest: Connor Watson, Bradman Best
Telstra Tracker top speed: Kalyn Ponga 34.4kmh (Round 5 v Titans)
Telstra Tracker total distance covered: Jayden Brailey 9.574km (Round 6 v Sharks)
Newly minted lock forward Connor Watson isn’t just one of the best athletes at the Knights, he might be one of the best in the entire NRL.
After years of floating between different positions, Watson has found a home at lock this season and has fast become the latest in a new breed of middle forwards.
But where Watson differs from the likes of Cameron Murray and Victor Radley is his speed - even after bulking up to play in the middle he’s still fast enough to fill in at fullback.
There’s few players in the league that can match his all-round athletic skill set which is why he’s among the fittest, fastest and strongest players at the Knights.
“Connor Watson is best pound-for-pound, definitely, he’s a long way in front of everyone and Bradman Best is up there as well,” said backrower Mitch Barnett.
“Connor has the full package, he’s fit, strong and quick. In the gym his bench press is incredible, I’m not sure of exact numbers but it’s over 150. He’s 90kg, he needs to give me some tips.
“Him and Randy (Chris Randall) are best over the 1.2s, it’s a test we do for fitness, and they just take off and you can’t catch them.”
“Braddy is fastest over a short distance, over 30 or 40 he’s really quick but KP is up there as well.”
DRAGONS
Fittest: Cody Ramsey
Fastest: Matt Dufty
Strongest: Jackson Ford, Tariq Sims
Telstra Tracker top speed: Cody Ramsey 35.2kmh (Round 5 v Eels)
Telstra Tracker total distance covered: Adam Clune 10.081km (Round 4 v Knights)
When it comes to speed at the Dragons the fastest gun in town is still fullback Matt Dufty.
Cody Ramsey keeps him honest, but Dufty still takes the prize - and he’s very protective of his status as the quickest Dragon.
“I haven’t seen a good footrace between them. They’re both lightning, but I’ll go Duff for fastest because he gets filthy if he doesn’t get mentioned for these things,” said prop forward Josh Kerr.
Ramsey is also one of the best trainers at the club and is one of the fittest players along with Adam Clune, which has come through in the ground the halfback covers on game day - according to the Telstra Tracker he ran 10,081 metres in the Round 4 win over Newcastle, the second highest single-match total for the year.
The heaviest lifters are all forwards - but Kerr himself admits he’s nowhere near the clubhouse leaders.
“Fittest is probably Cody Ramsey, Zac Lomax and Adam Clune are super fit as well but I’ll go with Cody,” Kerr said.
“Strongest isn’t me, I’m pathetic. I’ll go Jackson Ford, along with Tariq Sims and Tyrell (Fuimaono).
“When Fordy and Tariq are benching they’re always into each other, they always say they’re going hammer and tong.”
TIGERS
Fittest: Jacob Liddle
Fastest: James Roberts, Allan Fitzgibbon
Strongest: Thomas Mikaele
Telstra Tracker top speed: Jacob Liddle 34.8kmh (Round 1 v Raiders)
Telstra Tracker total distance covered: Luke Brooks 9.176km (Round 6 v Rabbitohs)
Thomas Mikaele is still the king of the gym at Concord with a bench press hovering around the 170kg mark but Joe Ofahengaue is running him close and the former Bronco is also the fittest running forward at the club.
Fittest overall is Jacob Liddle, who used to be close to the fastest as well but that’s since become a race between two with James Roberts and NSW Cup winger Allan Fitzgibbon duking it out for top honours.
Roberts has been one of the fastest men in the NRL for years but Fitzgibbon, who joined the club this season on a train and trial deal and has since nailed down a spot in reserve grade, is closing fast.
“David Nofoaluma is pretty quick as well, but not as fast as Jimmy. He’s Jimmy the Jet for a reason,” said prop Alex Twal.
“He takes his speed pretty personally.”
From all reports, Roberts doesn’t like the suggestion he’s not the fastest gun in the west and while Fitzgibbon is still some time away from a potential NRL debut his raw athleticism makes him an intriguing prospect.
“They’re the fastest. It’s a tough one. Because he’s my roommate I’m going to go with the Jet,” said Nofoaluma.
“But he does get upset when they say someone’s faster. I’m changing my mind, I’m going with Fitz.”
BRONCOS
Fittest: Payne Haas
Fastest: Ethan Bullemor, Xavier Coates
Strongest: Ethan Bullemor
Telstra Tracker top speed: Xavier Coates 37.6kmh (Round 4 v Storm)
Telstra Tracker total distance covered: Jake Turpin 9.074km (Round 4 v Storm)
One of Brisbane’s young bucks has the reputation among his teammates as being the fastest and the strongest player at the club.
Backrower Ethan Bullemor has been known to bench press 180kg in the Brisbane gym and can also out-run most backs during the club’s sprint sessions.
“He’s a freak that kid,” forward teammate Matt Lodge said.
“He’s close to being the best athletically.
“There’s something in the water out at Springsure (where he’s from) because he’s definitely the fastest forward and the strongest.”
Speedster Xavier Coates managed to clock the third fastest time in the NRL when he out-sprinted Melbourne’s Josh Addo-Carr during their Round 4 clash.
Coates was caught running at a 37.6km/hr maximum velocity during that dash in which he went on to score an 80m try.
Brisbane’s dummy half Jake Turpin sits in the upper echelons of the NRL when it comes to fitness.
He managed to run for 9074m in the club’s Round 4 match against Melbourne – the 14th highest total distance covered in the opening six rounds of the competition.
But when it comes to pure fitness, no one has anything on Payne Haas who’s VO2 max has been likened to that of a marathon runner or a cross-country skier.
“No one has anything on the big fella,” Lodge said.
RABBITOHS
Fittest: Josh Cook, Blake Taaffe (4.12 minutes for 1.2km)
Fastest: Alex Johnston
Strongest: Pat Mago (Squat 220kg), Campbell Graham (Bench Press 160kg)
Telstra Tracker top speed: Alex Johnston 35.9kmh (Round 6 v Tigers)
Telstra Tracker total distance covered: Benji Marshall 8.565km (Round 7 v Titans)
You won’t find Keaon Koloamatangi’s name above but hanging from the locker of the 191cm and 106kg forward is South Sydney’s ‘King of the Gym’ belt.
“Keaon Koloamatangi, he was our king of the gym. For his body weight he is a big squatter, a big presser and he is just very powerful,” Rabbitohs back Josh Mansour revealed.
“We had this competition in the preseason, the strength coach would calculate all the numbers at the end of the week and we’d award the ‘King of the Gym’. We’d have a big guard of honour and pump the music up. Keaon’s won it the most and had got it hanging in his locker.
Mansour, who has forged a reputation as one of the NRL’s best trainers in the gym, was blown away by Latrell Mitchell’s natural strength when he arrived at Redfern from Penrith in the preseason.
“I wouldn’t say it’s me [strongest],” Mansour said with a laugh.
“When I see Latrell, I just see raw talent and strength. He’s the type who doesn’t need to train hard in the gym, he has a big strong natural build. If you look at Tom Burgess, he’s a man mountain, he just eats the weights up. He’s also fit for a big guy.,” Mansour said.
At 36, Benji Marshall turned back the clock when he was thrust into the starting role against the Titans last week, covering a Rabbitohs season-high 8.565km during the match.
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