All hands to the pump

‘Phys-edders’ central as footy counts down

FORMER AFL boss Andrew Demetriou once called them “phys-edders” in a smackdown of their perceived power.

But today’s phys-edders will become the most important people at their football clubs during the next four weeks.

The announcement yesterday that AFL clubs would soon be able to train — ahead of a possible relaunch of the season on either June 11 or June 18 — means the high-performance managers at all 18 clubs have to conduct mini pre-seasons.

Four weeks is not ideal, but beggars can’t be choosers.

“We’d prefer longer. The longer the better,’’ Brisbane coach Chris Fagan told News Corp yesterday.

“But I know the AFL’s got tough decisions to make and whatever they decide we’ll roll up our sleeves and get to it.’’ It will be a frantic period. Clubs will need to combine ball work with body preparation and cram in a tinkered game plan, if coaches have one.

The reduced quarters and the likelihood of an extended interchange bench could see higher rotations and frenetic ball movement.

Alternatively, following the system North Melbourne used in Round 1 because of injuries, teams could keep their players on the ground for longer.

Quarters, remember, will be 16 minutes plus time-on.

Whether the adjusted rules will remain for 2021 and beyond is yet to be determined. Let’s hope it isn’t. What will be required over the high-performance managers over the next month or so?

Training in groups won’t be allowed until all 18 clubs are on a level playing field.

When that button is pushed, Fagan said Lions high performance manager Damien Austin will be “incredibly important’’.

“They are going to be asked to give us advice on a situation we’ve never encountered before,’’ Fagan said.

“If we start training next Monday, it will have been about 60 days since a game was played, which is eight and a bit weeks, which is almost the same as the break the players have between seasons.

“Depending on the start date, we’re going to be asking in a very short time to build guys up to play competitive AFL footy, which is going to be challenge.’’

Since the closure after Round 1, every AFL player was given a fitness program.

Greater Western Sydney veteran Heath Shaw’s program involved training on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday with one other teammate, usually skipper Stephen Coniglio, and mainly centred on running.

Fagan fears injuries in the coming weeks.

“In the weights room, in the strength area, that’s where they do a lot of the injury-prevention work,” he said.

“That’s been difficult to do because the guys have been operating our gyms in their garages. All that’s challenging.

“You can do all the running you like and all the weights you like, but it’s when you start changing direction and bumping into bodies that you’re really going to get tested.”