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Nod to Neil Craig for shaping Crows

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 15 Desember 2012 | 10.29

Former Adelaide Crows coach Neil Craig is getting credit from new fintess coach Nick Poulos for developing the current squad's work ethic. Picture: Chris Mangan. Source: The Advertiser

ADELAIDE'S new fitness coach Nick Poulos has credited Neil Craig and the previous regime for instilling a sound work ethic into the Crows squad.

With Brenton Sanderson, who still outdoes some of the players by lifting heavier weights in the gym, Poulos has set out to add a new level of punch to the squad.

But he spoke highly of the culture of the Crows, cultured both by Craig and his successor, Stephen Schwerdt, who is now working with the Gold Coast Suns.

Poulos and Schwerdt still compare notes, speak over the phone from time to time, and as much as Poulos is looking for another spark, he is quick to recognise the good work of those before him.

"He was fantastic," Poulos said of Schwerdt. "And we had a really good (fitness) team."

A point of difference: where Craig and his mentor, former national cycling coach Charlie Walsh, were big on endurance and training on stationary bikes, Poulos and Sanderson are looking for a more explosive edge.

But Poulos could not have spoken more highly of the work ethic that Craig and Schwerdt had instilled, and the culture which had been built up from their endeavours.

"This group of players is extraordinarily hard-working and I think that foundation was laid by my predecessor and previous coaches," Poulos said.

"The regime under Neil Craig is something you still have to respect.

"The players, the way they presented themselves when I first arrived at this club - it was just astounding. It was just the attitude they showed.

"They asked the right questions but still, as a playing group, they were prepared to work their a ...  s off.

"They were definitely a good running group but their strength and power needed a lot of work.

"I needed to strip it right back to basics and build from the bottom up.

"Technique is another one. To me, they are still developing."


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Watters issues challenge to Saints

St Kilda coach Scott Watters, left, and captain Nick Riewoldt watch a Denver Broncos training session in Englewood, Colorado. Picture: Dustin Bradford. Source: Getty Images

Lenny Hayes, centre, is working just as hard as every other player at St Kilda pre-season training. Picture: Chris Eastman Source: Herald Sun

LENNY Hayes turns 33 on January 14, is fresh from heart surgery, and is St Kilda's best and fairest player, the Trevor Barker medallist.

Hayes could be forgiven for coasting through what might yet be his final AFL pre-season.

Skip the odd training session, duck out early, and sidestep some of those tiresome meetings and leadership responsibilities.

But not at St Kilda, and not on coach Scott Watters' watch.

Twelve months into his tenure at St Kilda, Watters has issued every player "the challenge".

Watters, speaking on the final day of the club's Colorado training camp, says Hayes must - and will - give more.

As will every player on the Saints list.

"I watched him at a training session today and marvelled at his ability - his one-touch football, the balls coming at him at full pace and the half-volleys. His ball use (is) as exquisite as it normally is," Watters says.

"I don't see any reason why he shouldn't have another strong year like last year.

"The only difference is that last year we eased Lenny back into it, and had him in a mentoring role from a leadership point of view. But the challenge is going back to Lenny this year to put his hand up for the leadership group.

"It is not a discussion I have had with Lenny directly yet, but all our players need to be challenged regardless of age.

"I want Lenny to step up again.

"There are times to step into the leadership group and have a direct impact. One of our themes of the year is looking for the challenge, and just not wanting to accept any sort of mediocrity or complacency.

"So I am challenging all players, if they are 200-gamers or (first-year forward) Tom Lee, to find another level and challenge themselves individually."

If Twitter is a 140character summation, then wrap a bow around those words by Watters, because they encapsulate what St Kilda's new season is all about.

The Saints might have won 12 games last season - and lost five by 13 points or fewer - but you can hear the urgency in Watters' voice.

He might be a man in a hurry, but you get the feeling supporters wouldn't have it any other way.

Those who worried about the prospects of anyone stepping into the vacuum created by Ross Lyon's abrupt departure would have quickly had their fears allayed.

Watters is on his way to transforming a playing list seen to be headed for a cliff, has made minor but successful changes to the team's style of play, and recently took a strong stance on the loss of Brendon Goddard.

Saints' fans are already sold on him, and you can quickly see why.

It is not a discussion I have had with Lenny directly yet, but all our players need to be challenged regardless of age.

Nowhere at St Kilda can you find even a hint the club is resting on its laurels after three Grand Final appearances since 2008.

"There is not a player at the moment who isn't trying to push their own personal boundaries," Watters says.

"We have spoken about how it is easy to become conditioned to acceptable levels of performance.

"The media have their viewpoint on us individually and as a team. All of it is irrelevant.

"It is about them individually challenging themselves daily and as a team, and choosing their own destiny rather than listening to others."

Intentions are one thing, but turning strong words into performances invariably comes down to talent, and that is where the excitement kicks in for the club's football department.

The Saints moved on or lost nine players in the off-season - high-profile midfielder Goddard, the troubled Jason Gram, first-round pick Jason Cripps, and Dean Polo, Brett Peake, Raph Clarke, Sam Crocker, Daniel Archer, and Nicholas Winmar.

In their place came Gold Coast ruckman Tom Hickey, former Fremantle defender Dylan Roberton, WAFL key forward Tom Lee and five young national draft selections.

Goddard will take some replacing but the changes give Watters huge flexibility with his structure.

Now the forward line options include talls Nick Riewoldt, Lee, Rhys Stanley, Justin Koschitzke, Arryn Siposs, Beau Wilkes and, potentially, Sam Gilbert, as well as ground-level terriers Terry Milera, Ahmed Saad, Stephen Milne, and Adam Schneider.

St Kilda couldn't secure West Coast defender Mitch Brown but James Gwilt, 2012 revelation Sean Dempster, Sam Fisher, Tom Simpkin, Jason Blake, Gilbert and Roberton are tall defensive options.

Hickey, Ben McEvoy and, potentially, Koschitzke round out the ruck department, with the midfield strength a given.

"Our list is definitely progressing," Watters says.

"When we look at where we were 12 months ago there were some considerable vulnerabilities and it hadn't been developed for a while.

"So it's a work in progress, but with the players we have brought in we feel there is a starting point for a real foundation which complements our senior players."

You can't digest that statement without considering its relevance to Lyon's list building, but St Kilda wouldn't have revamped its recruiting department and list management if it didn't have issues.

Across every line, there is competition for a spot.

Bottom line: St Kilda won't be falling back on Raph Clarke and his ilk if injuries hit this year.

"The players look at the maths and they look around and they look at the list, and there wouldn't be too many players on our list who would feel comfortable about being in the Round 1 side," Watters says.

"Maybe it hasn't been that tight for a number of years, but it's getting tight."

The chief victim of that selection squeeze might be Koschitzke.

Hickey, McEvoy and Stanley will likely ruck ahead of him and, while Watters isn't so pessimistic about the 30-year-old, he makes no promises.

"Kosi is no different to any player on the list. I am not one that selects on emotion. Players effectively select themselves. Those who are physically prepared and absolutely exhaust every avenue over summer are the ones who show good pre-season form, and they ultimately find their way into the Round 1 side," he says..

"I make no apologies for the competition. It's the game we are in, and it's been a brutally tough and competitive pre-season so far and it will remain that way."

Goddard has three top-four best-and-fairest results (and a ninth) in the past four seasons, yet no one at the club is curled up in a corner struggling to cope with his absence.

This week, Goddard again failed to fully explain his decision to leave, but given the messy circumstances of Luke Ball's departure under Lyon, why did Watters push the money angle?

"I didn't choose to focus on that specific angle. I gave a direct answer to a direct question. I have a lot of time and respect for Brendon. We had, and continue to have, a terrific relationship," Watters says.

"Ultimately, people can speculate on the reasons for (him) wanting to leave and I will leave it to them to speculate. We made what we thought was a really strong offer to Brendon and he made a choice." 

The coach won't be wasting time on players who have left, preferring to focus on how his club climbs the ladder.

Watters believes in the club culture, which starts at the top.

It is hard to envisage Riewoldt not being reappointed captain next month.

The Riewoldt of 2011 was grumpy and sullen, battling knee issues and controversy after controversy.

Just married to partner Catherine Heard, Riewoldt enjoyed a better 2012, kicking 47 goals, and seemed to be in a good place mentally.

"We have had some brief discussions but nothing massive yet," Watters says of the captaincy issue.

"We will cross that bridge in January, but what I thought was a real bonus for the club last year was the way Nick led.

"I don't think it was given as much credence as it (deserved). He really got outside of himself, and had a really positive influence on a number of players.

"His understanding of the captaincy showed a really strong progression."


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Truth of AFL drug testing

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 14 Desember 2012 | 10.29

AFLPA chief executive Matt Finnis lays it down about the code's Illicit Drugs Policy. Source: Herald Sun

ILLICIT drugs will be an issue in football for as long as they are an issue in society. There will always be debate on the best way to combat illicit drug use by a small minority of AFL players.

Unfortunately it seems there will always be people who want to spread misinformation about the issue and muddy the waters with sensationalised claims.

The first mistake made by people who should know better is to besmirch our game by collapsing the use of performance enhancing and illicit drug use (colloquially known as party drugs).

The Illicit Drugs Policy is not about performance enhancing drugs. The AFL is subject to the WADA policies and testing regime that all other sports are subject to.

For the AFL Players' Association the use of illicit drugs outside competition is a serious health issue, and is the reason why we signed up to Australia's first and most significant policy to monitor the use of illicit drug-taking.

The AFL's Illicit Drug Policy has the support of the players who recognise that drug use is a serious issue. That is why they have agreed to be tested out of competition - in their private lives.

This is a measure that few, if any, employees in other fields submit to.

Despite this there are always accusations that the testing policy is too soft, or is about protecting players from the consequences of their actions.

This couldn't be further from the truth. The IDP is about identifying players with drug problems and supporting them.

If you discovered your child, sibling, or friend was damaging their health with illicit drugs, would you immediately call the police and tell their employer, or would you try to get them the help that they need?

The policy's approach to players who test positive to illicit drugs out of competition provides a balance that first requires players with drug issues to get help, and then punishes them if they reoffend.

The IDP does not apply to players recording positive to illicit drugs in an in-competition test, they face immediate sanctions because of the potential performance enhancing effects of some illicit drugs.

Let's dispel some other myths about the IDP.

Are all players randomly tested for illicit drug use? Yes.

Are players target-tested on the basis of at-risk periods and personal circumstances? Yes.

Are players' hair samples taken upon return from annual leave to discover possible illicit drug use during holiday periods? Yes.

Is the senior medical officer at a club notified of every positive test result, including the player's identity? Yes.

Is the club chief executive notified if there are multiple positive test results among players at a particular club in a short period of time? Yes.

Are all players who record a positive test subjected to a medically-based intervention followed by further target-testing? Yes.

We do not need posturing and speculation by officials and the media about abuse by certain players or the behaviour of young footballers in general, to understand the dangers posed by illicit drugs

We certainly do not need the contributions of those who might choose to elevate brand and reputational issues above the genuine welfare of players.

It is ridiculous and self-serving to blame the testing regimen for the fact that a small minority of players have used illicit drugs.

In developing the policy the players were fully aware that it was only one part of creating a workplace culture with clear values and standards to be upheld.

The idea that a club is powerless to act on illicit drugs because the CEO or president isn't informed when a player first fails a drug test is a cop out.

We recognise there will be room for improvements to the policy.

The decisions which young men and women make to experiment or regularly use illicit drugs remain a mystery to many of us - particularly so when such decisions risk a person's career and reputation, let alone their health and possibly their life.

But these decisions are made by people of all ages outside the AFL.

To try and exaggerate the level of drug use by AFL players, or to argue it is unique to the code, or to say the problem is the Illicit Drugs Policy puts blame in all the wrong places.

A sensible discussion, with the support of players and the involvement of experts would surely be the way to go. It is a discussion that our players and their association have been happy to have.


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Ablett, Izzy rake in cash

Israel Folau during his brief, but very profitable, stint as an AFL player. Source: News Limited

ISRAEL Folau earned $38,000 for every kick in his one season in the AFL, but he still wasn't the AFL's top earner in 2012.

That honour goes to Gold Coast captain Gary Ablett, who pocked $2 million in match payments and sponsorship dollars.

Ablett comes in at No.25 - the top-ranked footballer - in Business Review Weekly's annual list of Australia's top 50 sports earners.

Folau, who aborted his AFL experiment after one season, is No.36 on the list with earnings of $1.5 million - much of that from the AFL to market the game in western Sydney.

The former NRL star played 13 matches - earning $115,000 for each - and had just 39 kicks. Factoring in his 41 handballs as well, the price per disposal is $18,750.

Ablett earned his keep with 676 disposals at $2958 apiece.

The second-highest AFL player on the list was Folau's GWS teammate Tom Scully, who earned $1.8 million in the first year of his five-season $6 million contract.

Scully actually earned about $400,000 more than Ablett in on-field payments, but can't match the little champ's off-field appeal.

Carlton captain Chris Judd is the other AFL player on the BRW list, coming in at No.45 with $1.2 million.

Former Collingwood and North Melbourne forward and now NFL punter Sav Rocca earned $1.8 million to sit one spot behind Scully.

Victorian NBA basketballer Andrew Bogut again topped the list with an estimated $13.5 million after moving from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Golden State Warriors.

Bogut's earnings increased by $500,000 in 2012, while Formula One driver Mark Webber returned to the second-top spot with earnings of $12 million.

Ten golfers were in the top 50 - Jason Day, Adam Scott, Aaron Baddeley, Geoff Ogilvy, John Senden, Marc Leishman, Greg Chalmers, Mark Fraser, Brendan Jones and Peter Senior.

Nine cricketers made the top 50, led by Aussie captain Michael Clarke who was elevated into the top five earners in Australian sport with earnings of $5.5 million this year.

There were also eight Aussies playing football abroad on the list, including top soccer earner Luke Wilkshire ($5 million) and Tim Cahill ($4.5 million).

George Smith was the only rugby star to make the list with earnings of $1.2 million.

- with Tyson Otto

THE BRW TOP 50 EARNERS

1. Andrew Bogut (Basketball): $13.5 million
2. Mark Webber (Motor sports): $12 million
3. Adam Scott (Golf): $10.5 million
4. Casey Stoner (Motor sports): $8 million
5. Michael Clarke (Cricket): $5.5 million
6. Luke Wilkshire (Soccer): $5 million
7. Cadel Evans (Cycling): $4.5 million
8. Tim Cahill (Soccer): $4.5 million
9. Shane Watson (Cricket): $4.5 million
10. Grant Balfour (Baseball): $4 million
11. Jason Day (Golf): $4 million
12. Aaron Baddeley (Golf): $3.8 million
13. Mark Schwarzer (Soccer): $3.5 million
14. Brett Holman (Soccer): $3.5 million
15. Ricky Ponting (Cricket): $3.5 million
16. David Warner (Cricket): $3.2 million
17. Geoff Ogilvy (Golf): $3 million
18. Chad Reed (Motor sports): $3 million
19. David Anderson (Basketball): $2.5 million
20. Samantha Stosur (Tennis): $2.5 million
21. John Senden (Golf): $2.5 million
22. Marc Leishman (Golf): $2.2 million
23. Mick Fanning (Surfing): $2.2 million
24. Mark Bresciano (Soccer): $2.2 million
25. Gary Ablett (AFL): $2 million
26. Bernard Tomic (Tennis): $2 million
27. Greg Chalmers (Golf): $2 million
28. Taj Burrow (Surfing): $2 million
29. Scott McDonald (Soccer): $2 million
30. Michael Hussey (Cricket): $2 million
31. David Hussey (Cricket): $2 million
32. Joel Parkinson (Surfing): $2 million
33. Matthew Goss (Cycling): $2 million
34. Tom Scully (AFL): $1.8 million
35. Saverio Rocca (American football): $1.8 million
36. Israel Folau (AFL): $1.5 million
37. Matthew Neilsen (Basketball): $1.5 million
38. Edwina Tops-Alexander (Equestrian): $1.5 million
39. Marcos Ambrose (Motor sports): $1.5 million
40. Marcus Fraser (Golf): $1.5 million
41. Lucas Neill (Soccer): $1.5 million
42. Cameron White (Cricket): $1.5 million
43. Matthew Wade (Cricket): $1.3 million
44. Adam Federici (Soccer): $1.3 million
45. Chris Judd (AFL): $1.2 million
46. George Smith (Rugby union): $1.2 million
47. James Courtney (Motor sports): $1.2 million
48. Brendan Jones (Golf): $1.2 million
49. Peter Senior (Golf): $1.2 million
50. Daniel Christian (Cricket): $1.2 million


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Drug test wake-up call for Pies

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 13 Desember 2012 | 10.29

Collingwood onballer Dayne Beams - one of the players woken by an early morning drug test in Utah. Picture: Wayne Ludbey. Source: The Advertiser

Collingwood players Dayne Beams and Harry O'Brien take part in a drug test in Utah, in a photo posted on Twitter. Source: Supplied

COLLINGWOOD'S overseas pre-season camp has been interrupted by an early morning drugs test.

The Pies were woken at 6.30am yesterday in Utah's Park City for surprise blood and urine testing.

A group of players, including Harry O'Brien, Dane Swan, Scott Pendlebury, Dayne Beams and Darren Jolly, were all made to undergo tests in the team hotel before sunrise.

The rude awakening - ironically on a designated "sleep-in" day - caused a flurry of Twitter activity.

O'Brien tweeted: "Nice 6.30am wake up call from the drug testers. @swandane noted: "They aren't the most popular people right now."

Vice-captain Pendlebury said: "630 blood test and drug test isn't ideal on the day u get a sleep in. #bigfan".

It caused coach Nathan Buckley to chime in with: "That's life as a professional H #smallpricetopay".

Collingwood players were tested on at least one earlier trip to Arizona and drug testers showing up at clubs' pre-season camps isn't unusual.

The tests come ahead of an AFL-agreed drugs symposium after calls for action by Collingwood chief executive Gary Pert.

Pert last month raised serious concerns about a growing illegal drug culture in football.

Crosisca wants overhaul of three-strikes policy


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Ablett choked by UFC fighter

Gary Ablett gets jiu jitsu lessons from UFC fighter Kyle Noke at Metricon Stadium on the Gold Coast. Picture: Glenn Hampson Source: Gold Coast Bulletin

UFC fighters tought AFL star Gary Ablett the finer points of wrestling during a visit to the Gold Coast.

Ablett had a meet and greet yesterday with the UFC fighters, who are in town for UFC on FX Gold Coast this Saturday.

Ablett got the chance to catch up with welterweight contender Dan Hardy as well as Australia's own Anthony Perosh, Brian Ebersole and Kyle Noke.

Ablett's teammate Dion Prestia was the guinea pig for some expert moves.

Watch below now!

Gold Coast Suns' Gary Ablett meets UFC fighters in town for UFC on FX Gold Coast.


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Is altitude worth high price?

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 12 Desember 2012 | 10.29

The Gold Coast Suns, pictured here hiking the Grand Canyon, are one of many clubs sold by the benefits of high-altitude training. Picture: Ben Jaensch. Source: Supplied

OVERSEAS high-altitude training for AFL clubs is all the rage these days.

Once upon a time, a pre-season training trip consisted of a drive to the surf at Breamlea to run up the sand dunes followed by a barbeque and beers on the beach.

This was the approach of former Geelong coach Bob Davis, and it worked as he led the Cats to the 1963 premiership.

But that was a long time ago.

Today, many clubs think nothing of spending many thousands of dollars to send their players overseas as they search to gain a competitive edge in a game of centimetres getting smaller by the year.

Players on these trips spend up to two weeks climbing mountains, hiking in the snow, training and pushing themselves to the point of exhaustion up to 3000m above sea level.

The Brisbane Lions battle on in Arizona. Source: Supplied

They then inevitably return home and speak of their improved fitness, how tight the group now is and the benefits of the camp.

Some clubs swear by it, others like Geelong have never been further than Falls Creek yet have won three flags in six years.

With football department spending escalating like an arms race, it poses the question: Are these high-altitude trips sports science magic or just over-hyped holidays?

St Kilda - under former coach Grant Thomas - set the trend in 2004 when it paid a bomb to fly to South Africa and train 1343m above sea level.

Collingwood followed a year later when the Pies headed off to Northern Arizona University, situated 2100m above sea level and the home of a renowned high-altitude training centre.

The club's fitness boss David Buttifant had visited the university a year earlier with some Olympic athletes before he came to the club.

The Magpies have returned every year until this one - they instead headed to Utah, where North Melbourne also trained.

North Melbourne's pre-season training camp in Utah last week. Source: Supplied

Northern Arizona University is located in Flagstaff, Arizona - or "Flag" as the locals call it - a quaint mountain town home to 60,000 people, two hours out of Phoenix and very close to the Grand Canyon.

It is also now a regular destination for AFL clubs, including Carlton, the Brisbane Lions and Gold Coast in the past few weeks.

Suns coach Guy McKenna went on two trips to Arizona when he was an assistant at the Magpies, and when he got a team of his own, it was high on his to-do list.

The Suns' playing group has now been on two trips to the US.

"It was a no-brainer because I could see the benefits in the playing group," McKenna told News Limited.

"Some of the scientific boffins out there say there are minimal gains, but I think that is where AFL is 
at.

"You look at the Sydney-Hawthorn Grand Final this year, a percentage or clearance here or there means you win games of footy.

"You need a percentage you can pinch from somewhere and I think this type of conditioning relates to 
on-field performance.

"Given what I saw from two camps in Arizona (with Collingwood), I was going to bring my group back wherever I ended up, that's for sure.

"I saw the immediate benefits and the long-term benefits."

Collingwood footballers walk the Grand Canyon in 2011. Picture by Collingwoodfc.com.au Source: Supplied

 
The craze has become a business for places like Northern Arizona University, who rent their facilities to the AFL clubs.

Sports management companies co-ordinate the camps in conjunction with the universities.

Hypo2 Sport Management has run the altitude camps for Gold Coast, Brisbane, Carlton and Collingwood.

Company owner Sean Anthony, who is currently in Utah with the Magpies, said he was not surprised by the popularity of the camps.

"I think, in the world of elite sport, that everyone watches what everyone else does," he said.

"There are not a lot of training secrets and so when a club tries something a little off the beaten path and it appears to reap them benefit, like Collingwood doing altitude training from 2005 to the present day, then other teams begin to look at how to do something similar.

"And it's a very small industry, so if you have success with one team, team members who were part of that success inevitably move on to other teams and then want to emulate that."

NAU spokesman Steven Shaff said the institution is happy to accommodate the clubs, even though they clash with university sport teams.

There are definite physiological as well as mental gains made by the players and staff by going away for a training camp, whether it be to altitude or not.

"Northern Arizona University and the Flagstaff community welcome visiting teams from around the world. It is point of pride for the campus to have the top teams in a variety of sports train here," he said.

"The university schedules the workouts and training sessions for the international teams around the schedules for the intercollegiate teams.

"The facilities can be very busy during visits by international teams but it is a welcome problem as the camps are such an exciting part of life on the Northern Arizona University campus."

Carlton hike Mt Humphreys in Arizona with coach Mick Malthouse leading the way. Supplied by Carlton FC. Source: Supplied


Altitude training has become a crucial part of the training program for elite athletes as it seen to stimulate the production of red blood cells because of lower oxygen levels.

But does training for two weeks before returning to lower altitudes actually do anything for the players?

There are some skeptics, such as Australian Olympic marathon runner Lee Troop.

"For 10 days there's no effect, there's no benefit whatsoever in doing altitude training for that long," Troop told the Herald Sun in 2005.

"You've got to be there for at least 21 days to help increase the red blood cell (count)... ideally, a month. I understand they have got an altitude chamber but there are so many variables that go into altitude training.

"So as far as them saying they're going to altitude and this is what elite athletes do, it was just a crock.

"If they were serious they would've been there for three weeks, if not more.

"It just bewilders me that people have got more money than sense."

But Australian Sport Performance Network director Kate Veidreyaki says the science is proven.

"There is definite benefit in athletes, particularly endurance type athletes such as AFL players, in attending altitude training camps," she said.

"The main physiological benefits the players will receive from training at altitude is an increase in their red blood cell count, which directly relates to an increase in the bloods oxygen carrying capacity."

When asked if the gains made are more mental than physical, Veidreyaki said:

Nathan Buckley and Andrew Krakouer in Utah. Picture: Collingwoodfc.com.au Source: Supplied

"There are definite physiological as well as mental gains made by the players and staff by going away for a training camp, whether it be to altitude or not.

"By removing a team from their usual environment and placing them in a location where they are surrounded by their teammates, coaching and support staff, away from media attention and possible other distractions of their daily lives, put their mindset in a whole new place.

"They live, breathe and think football.

"Training camps are a great tool to introduce new players to the team and expose them to training expectations and to work on training ethic and culture.

"The psychological benefits are more difficult to quantify as they are less black and white in comparison to drawing blood and measuring the red blood cell count."

McKenna, who just returned from Arizona with his Suns' players, agreed with the professional assessment.

"They (the players) live in each other's back pocket and get to know each other, so it is a fast-tracking 
of building chemistry in the group," he said.

"(But) if we just got the chemistry response and didn't get a physical adaptation to it, we wouldn't go.

"The one sort of measurable response is the ability to endure and to stay hard and strong.

"That's what you can do there because it is not a normal way of life for these players who live and play at sea-level to have to endure this shock to the system."

Anthony, who has been involved in the management of altitude training sites for 16 years, said the camps were about giving teams a winning edge, however small.

"The gains from altitude training seem, from the outside looking in, to be quite small - perhaps one to three per cent," he said.

"But in high level sport where the margins of victory are so unbelievably small and the levels of fitness and talent of the athletes so similar, such a seemingly small percentage can actually be a game-changer and often means the difference between winning and losing.

"In my experience of working with the AFL teams, they are very smart about getting the most out of the relatively short altitude camps.

"And they are smart about knowing what they don't know as well, taking advantage of the ample outside resources in Australia's greater sport science community to bolster their knowledge base and craft as efficient an altitude camp as possible."

McKenna said he uses the training camps to gauge the mental strength of his players.

Suns player Jacob Gillbee hiking through the snow in Arizona. Pic: Ben Jaensch Source: Supplied

"With any good group or organisation, it is about finding out about your individual mental and physical capabilities," the Suns coach said.

"Once you find out who is good, bad, indifferent or average, you get to understand which players at certain stages you need to encourage to push harder.

"And I'm sure Collingwood would say after four or five years of doing that, they learn to endure longer."

Veidreyaki said there were different schools of thought in regards to duration of exposure to altitude and subsequent long-term benefits.

"Logical thinking would deduct that the longer the exposure, the longer the benefits," she said.

"In the case of AFL teams doing altitude training in October-November, they are not conducting these camps in order to have a better chance to win on actual Grand Final day in September the following year.

"The presumed intention of these camps being conducted when they are in the year, is to attempt to improve the quality and productivity of the training sessions of the players during the preseason/early season, which will have a positive impact on the team come game time."

So - whether you are a believer or not - expect to see clubs returning year after year.


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Tippett: I feel at home in Sydney

New Sydney Swan Kurt Tippett meets his new teammates for the first time today.

Former Adelaide Crow Kurt Tippett fronts the media with Sydney co-captain Jarrad McVeigh prior to his first training session with the Swans. Picture: Phil Hillyard. Source: The Daily Telegraph

Kurt Tippett wrestles with Swans big man Mike Pyke. Picture: Phil Hillyard Source: The Daily Telegraph

KURT Tippett has declared the future is bright for him and the Swans after he pulled on Sydney colours for the first time this morning.

The 25-year-old power forward began training with the Swans for the first time at 8am this morning after he was yesterday taken by the club with pick No. 11 in the AFL pre-season draft.

Tippett has generated waves of controversy since his messy departure from the Adelaide Crows, but said he has put all of those issues behind him.

Tippett's the best since Barry Hall

``It was a perfect fit for me and I'm very excited,'' Tippett said. ``The future here is very bright. The prospect of coming here and playing alongside blokes like Jarrad and Adam Goodes, Sam Reid is very exciting.


``A Tremendous club, a very successful club, premiership winning club. One that is very well respected and Sydney is a great place as well.''

He joins the club 10 weeks after coach John Longmire and chief executive Andrew Ireland flew to the Gold Coast just days after their grand final triumph to try and lure him to Sydney.

Swans not concerned about Tippett's concussions

Tippett has endured a barrage of criticism for the way he left Adelaide, which saw him handed an 11 match suspension for involvement in the Crows' salary cap breaches and draft tampering.

He admitted this morning the ordeal has been challenging, breaking months of silence.

``It's been a long off-season with a few little challenges,'' he said.

``It's fantastic to be here and meet the players and coaches. I'm looking forward to playing football. ``There was a little bit of time where I guess my future was a little bit unclear, but it's fantastic to be here. I look forward to playing football, settling in, training hard.''

The 11 match suspension means he will not be available to play for the Swans until their round 13 clash against Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium.

But Swans co-captain Jarrad McVeigh said the club is thrilled to finally get their hands on the goal-kicker.

``We see Kurt as a long term player for us,'' McVeigh.

``We know the way he plays. We know he trains hard and works hard we expect that from him.

``We want to improve as a group and just because we won the premiership doesn't mean we don't want to get better. We see Kurt as a long term player for this footy club. We're rapt to have him on board and I'm sure after a hectic couple of months we can get out there today and he can get back to what he knows best and that's playing footy. We're really excited for the year ahead.


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Crows take mature-age defender

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 11 Desember 2012 | 10.29

Kyle Hartigan, pictured left, tangles with former Cat Cam Mooney in a VFL clash between Geelong and Werribee from 2011. Source: Herald Sun

ADELAIDE used its top selection, Pick No.14, in today's rookie draft to recruit mature-age Victorian defender Kyle Hartigan.

The 21-year-old has spent the past three seasons with Werribee in the VFL and was part of the inaugural AFL Victoria Academy.

Hartigan is listed on Werribee's website as standing 193cm and weighing 89kg and played TAC Cup with the Western Jets.

He is an AIS-AFL Academy graduate who represented Victoria Metro in the 2009 national championships but has been overlooked in previous drafts.

The Crows then officially welcomed basketballers Jack Osborn (Pick No.40) and Tim Klaosen (No.47) to West Lakes after the duo spent the past month training at West Lakes.

Earlier, the Crows used their sole pre-season draft pick (No.10) to re-draft Nick Joyce who was delisted in the wake of the Kurt Tippett saga. Tippett got his wish by joining Sydney the very next pick at No.11.


As promised at Alberton, Port Adelaide snapped up local product Sam Colquhoun by taking the Central District midfielder with Pick No.3 in the pre-season draft.

Colquhoun was a state under-18 representative and considered unlucky not to have been selected in last month's National Draft.

The Power used its first pick in the rookie draft to take mature-age Claremont midfielder Kane Mitchell who won this year's Sandover Medal as the WAFL's best player.

It also selected Port Adelaide Magpies defender Justin Hoskin from its own backyard with Pick No.20.


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Pies plunder VFL in rookie draft

Sam Dwyer is now a Magpie. Picture: Chris Scott Source: Herald Sun

COLLINGWOOD recruiting genius Derek Hine plundered the VFL in today's rookie draft, snaring three of the most sought-after mature-age prospects headed by premiership star Sam Dwyer.

The 26-year-old Port Melbourne product has long been regarded as among the classiest state-league midfielders and entered the 2011 Liston Trophy a raging favourite.

The right-footer with speed joins Frankston ball magnet Kyle Martin and stingy Williamstown defender Jack Frost at the Pies in a rookie draft they monopolized after clearing their list in September.

Profiles of every recruit in our draft tracker

Port coach Gary Ayres said Dwyer would look to the NAB Cup to earn promotion to the senior list and backed the best-and-fairest winner to make an impact next season.

"I'd certainly describe him as very skilled, outside midfielder who can also play inside," Ayres said today.

"He's very smart in and around traffic and he certainly knows how to find space and then he can be very dangerous in and around goal.

"He's an opportunistic player and he now needs to run with the opportunity he's got."

Martin joins after winning Frankston's best-and-fairest this season and had been touted by some talent experts as the Jimmy Bartel of the VFL, owing to his football smarts and strong mark for his size.

"To come in in your first year of VFL, play for your state, and win the best-and-fairest is just outstanding," Dolphins coach Simon Goosey said of Martin today.

"He got tagged most weeks and won 25 possessions. People say what is it about Kyle Martin? Well, he just keeps winning the ball.

"I reckon he'd complement their midfield. He's got a 50m AFL kick on him."

Martin, 22, was pushed to the VFL this season from Noble Park coach Mick Fogarty after dominating in the Eastern Football League, while Frost, 20, won his listing despite playing just four senior matches this year following surgery on his hips.

The brother of GWS's Sam Frost had a collective three goals kicked on him opposed to Cat Nathan Vardy and VFL spearheads Matt Little, Lucas Cook and Dean Galea.

"He's actually got an increase in mobility so he's moving better than ever before after those operations," Seagulls footy manager Chris Dixon said of the 194cm defender.

"His defensive work-rate, his spoiling and his closing speed is what an AFL club would like.

"He's playing on seasoned AFL and VFL footballers five years older than him and beating them."

Meanwhile, Goosey backed Leigh Osborne, who was snaffled by Gold Coast with pick No. 2, to debut in Round 1 next year after spending two weeks training with the Suns.

"He's got the pace to succeed at AFL level. He's a good size, he's a run-and-carry 80m player and he'll give them a lot of drive."

Werribee key defender Kyle Hartigan won a lifeline at Adelaide a year after narrowly missing out on a chance at St Kilda.

The Western Bulldogs rookie-listed player welfare manager Brett Goodes, who will turn 29 before the start of next season.

Goodes, the brother of Sydney superstar Adam, won two VFL flags at North Ballarat and has been tearing up the Whitten Oval track.

He beat injury-riddled Bomber Brent Prismall to the final place on Brendan McCartney's list after travelling with the club to their London pre-season camp, where his character and leadership shone.

The Pies also snatched twice-retired ruckman Ben Hudson, re-listed defender Peter Yagmoor and Queenslander Adam Oxley.
 


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Who will your club pick?

Written By Unknown on Senin, 10 Desember 2012 | 10.29

Ben Hudson is set to join his fourth AFL club when Collingwood recruits him tomorrow. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

COLLINGWOOD holds the most aces as clubs prepare for their final dip in the 2012 talent pool.

Tomorrow's pre-season and rookie drafts present the last chance for players to win a spot on an AFL list for 2013.

And the challenge is even tougher this year, with clubs cutting their lists by two.

For most that means 40 on the senior list and four rookies, down from six.

But clubs can opt to have just 39 players on their senior list and five rookies, or 38 and six.

There are 17 picks in the pre-season draft order but many of those are likely to go unused as clubs save extra selections for the rookie draft, which follows immediately after the pre-season draft.

If the situation wasn't confusing enough already, there are also "category B" rookies on scholarships and from international backgrounds - and players can move between the different categories.

Pic gallery: Biggest pre-season draft bargains

Collingwood recruiting manager Derek Hine explains it like this on the Pies' website:

"In the past there's been 38 players plus your six rookies, where now you can have 38 players and six rookies, 39 players and five rookies and 40 players and four rookies. The numbers are similar but there are different ways that you can manipulate it.

"For the first time, clubs aren't mandated to take a selection, so they can choose to have their full quota of rookies, whatever that may be, or they can just choose to have none on the rookie list.

"We'll be filling every spot we can."

Pic gallery: Biggest pre-season draft flops

The Pies were on top of the changes early, slashing their rookie list weeks ago to create room for six selections tomorrow.

Most clubs won't have that many and some won't take any. The breakdown comes down to list and salary cap management.

But fans just want to know who will be the next rookie-list superstar, following the path of Dean Cox, Matthew Boyd and Stephen Milne.

And which discarded AFL players will get another chance.

Here's our run-down of how tomorrow's drafts - conducted via phone link from AFL House - will play out.

See all your club's recruits from 11am tomorrow on SuperFooty's draft tracker

WHO IS YOUR CLUB LOOKING AT?

ADELAIDE

With Kurt Tippett officially gone, Adelaide has a free spot on its list and will use it to re-draft Nick Joyce, who was cut as the Tippett saga dragged on. That leaves one rookie spot and the Crows have cut their options to 15 potential recruits. Former Swan Byron Sumner, who enjoyed a standout season with Woodville-West Torrens in the SANFL, is understood to have caught the Crows' eye.

BRISBANE LIONS

The Lions can take one player in the pre-season draft and two rookies. They have already committed to re-drafting midfielder Callum Bartlett, who has been cruelled by knee injuries in his three years at the club. Tall forward Jordon Bourke, son of former Geelong and Brisbane Bears ruckman Damian Bourke, has been training with the Lions.

CARLTON

Quiet during the trade and free agency period, will the Blues spring a surprise tomorrow? It doesn't seem likely, unless you count redrafting delisted forward Andrew Collins.

COLLINGWOOD

The Pies have manipulated their list expertly and go into tomorrow's drafts with a bucketful of selections. Two of them will be used on Peter Yagmoor and experienced ruckman Ben Hudson. That leaves four "live" selections and Hine says the Pies will target players who can play straight away. They have been linked to 23-year-old WAFL Sandover medallist Kane Mitchell (below) and Port Melbourne midfielder Sam Dwyer.

ROOKIE HOPEFUL: Kane Mitchell celebrates Claremont's WAFL premiership win over Subiaco. Picture: Daniel Wilkins Source: PerthNow


ESSENDON

The Bombers have to use one of their two picks tomorrow on Ariel Steinberg, who was delisted last month but has a contract for next season. That leaves one spot available and one of the big questions tomorrow is will James Hird use it to take a chance on WA bad boy Dayle Garlett? Rated a top-10 pick on talent, Garlett was overlooked in the national draft but has been training with the Bombers. But he isn't the only one, with fellow indigenous talent Shannon Taylor invited to train at Windy Hill along with Gippsland's Will Hams, South Australian midfielder Steven Baldasso and Subiaco small forward Chris Deluca.

FREMANTLE

The Dockers will be a big player tomorrow with two pre-season picks and two rookie picks. Freo has ruled out picking Kurt Tippett despite having a selection before Sydney, his preferred destination. Jesse Crichton, delisted last month, is likely to win a reprieve and the Dockers have a host of WAFL players training at the club. Tall defender Nick Rodda was unlucky to miss out in the national draft and is a big chance to go tomorrow.

GEELONG

The Cats have a full list. Happy to keep their rookie contingent from 2012, they won't take part in either of tomorrow's drafts.

GOLD COAST

The Suns have no pre-season draft selections and are expected to take two rookies. One could be 22-year-old Frankston defender Leigh Osborne, who is training with the Suns. The other pick might be used on Broadbeach midfielder Andrew Boston, who won All-Australian selection after starring for Queensland at this year's under-18 carnival.

Carlton's Bret Thornton celebrates a goal against the Tigers at the MCG Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: News Limited


GWS

Kevin Sheedy considered throwing a lifeline to Jason Laycock after the former Bomber ruckman dominated the Tasmanian league this year, but a failed fitness test in Sydney last week ruled out that move - for this year at least. Kurt Tippett is also out of calculations. Instead, the Giants are set to offer delisted Carlton defender Bret Thornton a second chance. GWS will also redraft ruckman Dean Brogan.

HAWTHORN

With 40 players on its senior list, the Hawks can take one rookie tomorrow. Delisted Collingwood ruckman Jonathon Ceglar - who spent two years at the Pies but didn't play a senior game - has been training at Waverley.

MELBOURNE

No picks in the pre-season draft but versatile Central District ruckman Jack Hannath has been training with the Dees and is likely to win a rookie spot.

NORTH MELBOURNE

The Roos have three picks but have committed to using two to redraft delisted players Cameron Richardson and Ben Speight. No other players have been invited to Roos training so the target of the club's one "live" pick remains a mystery.

Liam Jarrah arrives at the Port Adelaide Football Club for a trial training run. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: The Advertiser


PORT ADELAIDE

Port will use its one PSD pick on ace SA teenager Sam Colquhoun, who was widely tipped to go in the second or third round of the national draft but somehow missed out altogether. That leaves two rookie picks and the dilemma of whether to use one on former Demon Liam Jurrah. Port is leaving a decision until the last minute but the feeling is Jurrah, who has been training with Port, could miss out. Port offered axed Bomber Brent Prismall a one-year contract but he knocked it back in the hope of being picked by a Victorian club. Former Carlton rookie Jaryd Cachia is a strong chance to be picked up after an outsanding year in the SANFL.

RICHMOND

Axed ruckmen Cameron Wood (Collingwood) and Orren Stephenson (Geelong) are training at Punt Rd and the Tigers are set to punt on Stephenson as a back-up to Ivan Maric. Delisted rookie Addam Maric is hoping to win back his spot on the rookie list while the Tigers could throw a rookie lifeline to Josh Toy, who quit the Gold Coast and has been overlooked by several clubs due to a rare heart condition. Injury concerns have ruled former Melbourne forward Ricky Petterd out of Richmond's calculations.

ST KILDA

After signing former Fremantle defender Dylan Roberton as a delisted free agent, the Saints' list is chock full and they won't get any picks tomorrow.

SYDNEY

The Swans have three picks in the pre-season draft but all the interest is in their first - pick 11, which they will use to recruit controversial ex-Crow Kurt Tippett. Despite carrying an 11-game suspension into next season, Sydney is still keen to add him to an already potent forward set-up. A number of NSW talents are training with the Swans including Brandon Jack and Xavier Richards, the younger brothers of premiership stars Kieren and Ted.

WEST COAST

The Eagles won't take part in the pre-season draft but have two rookie selections. With no potential recruits are training with West Coast, the Eagles are keeping their cards close to their chest.

WESTERN BULLDOGS

The Dogs have one spot left on their list after signing ex-Docker Nick Lower last week as a delisted free agent. That final spot is a race in two between ex-Bomber Brent Prismall and 28-year-old VFL player Brett Goodes, brother of Sydney champion Adam.

The Bulldogs have confirmed Brett Goodes is locked in a race with Brent Prismall for a fairytale shot at the AFL. Picture: George Salpigtidis Source: Herald Sun

2012 PRE-SEASON DRAFT

Round One
1 – GWS Giants
2 – Western Bulldogs
3 – Port Adelaide
4 – Brisbane Lions
5 – Richmond
6 – Essendon
7 – Carlton
8 – Fremantle
9 – Collingwood
10 – Adelaide Crows
11 – Sydney Swans

Round Two
12 – GWS Giants
13 – Carlton
14 – Fremantle
15 – Collingwood
16 – Sydney Swans

Round Three

17 – Sydney Swans


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Martin is Choco's project

Dustin Martin and recruit Aaron Edwards complete a run at Princes Park. Picture: Stuart Walmsley Source: Herald Sun

DEFENDER Bachar Houli says new Richmond assistant coach Mark Williams has taken Tigers' wild child Dustin Martin under his wing with the powerhouse midfielder a standout in pre-season training.

The Tigers hit the track today following a 10-day camp in the heat of Cairns.

Houli said 2004 Port Adelaide premiership coach and former Greater Western Sydney assistant Williams had spent time with every player during the trip.

The club has concerns with Martin's off-field behaviour and Houli said Williams was paying him - along with some other young players - special attention.

"He's there for the development of our group and has taken a few young players like Dustin Martin and Reece Conca under his wing," said Houli.

"He's going to show some leadership for them and be a mentor for them."

Houli said Martin's effort on the training track couldn't be faulted.

"The way Dustin's going about his training these days is extraordinary.

"He's right up there with the fitness and skills and he's become more vocal on the track as well.

"In this short period of time Dustin's come a long way and I've no doubt that's going to turn into good footy once the season begins."

Mega pic gallery: Tigers' Cairns Amazing Race

The far-north Queensland camp was a mix of tough training and an Amazing Race-style competition, with Houli a member of the winning team.

"The conditions were quite warm and the humidity was very challenging but it was a great balance of the physical aspect and the mental.

"In terms of the physical bit I was up there but with all of the trivia questions I was no good.

"It just shows you that team work is very important."

Houli fronted the media after being recognised with a national award, initiated by former Prime Minister Bob Hawke, for his work promoting harmony between Muslims and non-Muslims.

Houli is the first devout Muslim to play in the AFL and was instrumental in the creation of full-time prayer rooms at three AFL venues.

This year the 24-year-old launched the Bachar Houli Cup, an inter-Islamic schools football competition.

"It's a massive honour to win the award," he said.

"It means a lot to me and to everyone who does well to break down the barriers."


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Better Luke next time for Magpie

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 09 Desember 2012 | 10.29

Luke Ball has taken the slow road back to full fitness in a bid to be ready for the 2013 AFL season. Source: Supplied

LUKE Ball and patience have never been the closest of companions.

But knee injuries - like the one Ball suffered in Round 3 this year, requiring a season-ending reconstruction - have a habit of teaching even the fiercest of competitors to sometimes temper their natural instincts for the greater good.

So when Collingwood's director of sports science David Buttifant told Ball yesterday he was being excused from the club's hike into the Utah mountains, the 28-year-old didn't argue back.

That's not just because snow started sweeping in towards Park City, where the Magpies are in the early stages of their high-altitude training camp.It's because Ball knows his pathway back to the AFL is something that shouldn't be rushed - even if he remains on track to play in Round 1, 2013.

"I've just been told that I probably won't be going on the hike," Ball said.

"It's just a precaution, and I didn't argue too much, to be honest.

"A handful of us will be staying back and I'm sure they will be flogging us. But I will be doing it with a smile on my face, thinking about the guys going up the mountain with their sleeping bags."

Ball looks - and feels - good, confident he is well placed in his quest to return to the game in good shape, just as his old mate Lenny Hayes did this year after a knee reconstruction in 2011.

He believes if he does the right thing in a patient return to the game that he missed so much this year, it might even extend his playing career.

"When you can't do the things you want to do, you realise how much you love it and what you are prepared to do to get it back," he said.

"Hopefully, this can add another year on the end (of his career)."

The ever meticulous Ball is leaving nothing to chance. But he won't be putting any extra pressure on himself until he has to.

"My knee is 100 per cent. I saw the surgeon (Julian Feller) the other day," he said.

"But the hamstring, where they took the graft, is just taking a little longer. It's just (a matter of) getting that up to full strength or stronger than it was before, which is taking a little longer.

"But the surgeon is happy with it all. It means I have to be patient, which I don't normally enjoy, but we will get there.

"There's no rush to the starting line. With a serious injury, there is a good chance if you push yourself too hard, you might have a little setback."

Ball is taking part in plenty of Collingwood's pre-season drills, but isn't yet going 100 per cent. He plans to crank that up in early January, to ensure he can have a few hit-outs in the NAB Cup.

"I am really enjoying training at the moment." he said.

"The knee feels great and in my head at this stage, I am looking towards Round 1 next year."

There was a brief flicker of hope that Ball might have made a unlikely return late in the 2012 season, but he says now that realistically it was never likely.

"The fact that Andy Krakouer and Brent Macaffer came back gave a bit of hope," he said.

"I looked at it, and thought I might be able to push it a bit to see if there might be a slight chance.

"But realistically, the docs and the surgeons say you are supposed to sit out six months. That was going to take me right up until Grand Final week. And I don't think the coach would have been silly enough to pick me having not played for 25 weeks, if we had made it.

"I probably got my head around it pretty early that I wasn't going to play (again in 2012)."

The decision to put a line through this year, which was a no-brainer for the club, given how crucial he remains into the future, allowed him to travel overseas for a few weeks and take in the Tour de France and the London Olympics.

The late July-early August trip could not have come at a better time for the hard-working midfielder, who took the chance to do some homework on other elite athletes, including some recovering from knee reconstructions.

"My head was about to explode here watching the boys," he said.

"We were playing pretty well at the time and winning, and heading into another finals campaign."

So it was good for me to get away for a little bit and it fell into a time when two of the world's greatest sporting events were on.

"I was able to get away and look at how some amazing athletes operate and realise how small we are down under and what a big world it is."

Ball has done some research on recent returns from serious knee injuries - here and abroad.

"I've been watching the NFL a fair bit and it might be a bit of a stretch, but one of the guys who is being talking about as a candidate for the MVP this year is Adrian Peterson," he said.

"He has come back from a knee reconstruction last year and has probably had the best season of his career."You look at those things when you are having doubts, and use that as inspiration."

It's the same with Ball's close mate and former St Kilda teammate Hayes, with whom he has spoken on a number of occasions.

"We've had a few chats, and we caught up at 'Rooey''s (Nick Riewoldt's) wedding," he said.

"Just talking to him, and watching him, shows it is possible. He is clearly an example to follow."

Ball said the club's switch from its long-time training camp Arizona to Utah was designed to keep the group fresh.

"Flagstaff (Arizona) was great. But it's been good to come to Utah. The accommodation and the facilities are first-rate.

"I remember speaking with Alisa Camplin (Winter Olympic gold medallist and Collingwood board member) before we came and she used to come here for training camps."

Ball said the recruitment of Quinten Lynch, Clinton Young, Jordan Russell and Ben Hudson as well as the highly-rated draftees was exciting.

"It feels like a a pretty young group to me, even though we have brought in some experienced players. There is just a really good mix."

For Ball, just being a part of it again - with the calendar not far away from turning over to 2013 - feels as invigorating as the chilly air in Park City.


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Nicoski's hard road at an end

BACK ON TRACK: West Coast's Mark Nicoski is hoping for better things next season after injury cruelled his 2012 campaign. Picture: Justin Benson-Cooper Source: PerthNow

MARK Nicoski doesn't feel sorry for himself and he doesn't want you to, either.

He might be challenging Beau Waters and Sam Butler for the title of unluckiest Eagle, but Nicoski is the first to see a silver lining to his horror 2012.

Coming off his best season in the AFL in 2011, the West Coast veteran tore his left hamstring from the bone in the NAB Cup Grand Final in March.

The thought of a comeback ahead of the finals initially drove his recovery, before a further tear in July ensured his entire season would be lost.

Having battled long-term injuries throughout his career, including one that cost him a place in the 2006 premiership side, Nicoski might have been entitled to think his rotten run was over, once he was re-cast as a forward, to great effect.


"Life's really good with timing: it tends to challenge you when you least expect it," he said.

"I thought I'd gone through, in terms of football, enough challenges  but there was another one left in store."

The past nine months instead became a personal journey that included a mid-season sabbatical to his mother's homeland of Croatia and a realisation he could feel the warmth of those closest to him most acutely when life was at its toughest.

"It's funny, you know, through the difficult times of your life or career, you tend to find out who those people are that are genuinely concerned and genuinely worried about your wellbeing," he said.

"Some people have been absolutely amazing. So I do feel really lucky. It's made my character a lot stronger than what it could have been."

Nicoski is especially grateful to club CEO Trevor Nisbett and coach John Worsfold for their assurances he was still a required player, along with fitness coach Warren Kofoed and physiotherapist Mark Finucane.

It was the support of a fellow player Adam Selwood he found most touching.

The pair arrived at the club together a decade ago. Nicoski's misfortune is illustrated by the fact Selwood's tally of 178 games, compared with his 112, is equivalent to playing three more seasons of football.

"He has really been a true friend," Nicoski said. "He's someone that was in hospital every time visiting me.

"We came into the system at the same time, so we've got a bit of a bond like that. (But) I saw an element of loyalty and friendship in him that I didn't particularly realise we had at this stage."

Nicoski needed surgery three times following his original hamstring tear.

Having powered through a rehabilitation program he began in mid-August, he is now looking forward to joining the main training group after Christmas and is even eying Round 1 of the NAB Cup in mid-February.

Nicoski, the last player to leave the track after Friday's session at McGillivray Oval, is hopeful of recapturing his 2011 form next season.

At 29, Nicoski knows he is closer to the end than the beginning.

After being handed another one-year contract, thinking about retirement is superfluous, anyway.

"You just live in the moment," he said. "I don't think anybody likes to think about that.

"But I've always thought if you take care of what you can control, then the things outside that circle will work out okay.

"I'm a realist like anyone and I realise I can't play football till I'm 35  which I would love to  but at this point it's just a step by step process and I'm pretty excited about 2013."

The most obvious question left to ask involved the possibility of Nicoski finally tasting premiership glory, after he was forced to watch on in 2006.

"I'm hanging out for the fairytale, don't worry," he said.

"I don't need it, but I want it.

"That fairytale's driving me and that's what I hang on to."


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