New approach to pre-season benefits Eagles

THE 2020 Gold Coast rugby season is rumbling into life with three more clubs returning to pre-season training this week.

The Gold Coast Eagles and Surfers Paradise Dolphins were the fifth and sixth teams to begin their preparations for the season last night, while Palm Beach Currumbin will become the seventh tomorrow.

Bond Pirates will be the final club to resume training, with their first session booked for Tuesday next week.

Eagles coach Jai Johnson said his team’s delayed start to the off-season was a strategic decision that will aid in the club’s quest to return to the finals.

“We felt the need to give the boys a solid break over Christmas,” Johnson said.

“We knew if we came back too early you wouldn’t get good numbers.

“Starting this week is two

months until our first trial on March 14 and three months until Round 1.

“If you’re easing over a 12week pre-season you can sometimes overwork the players, depending on what you’re looking to get out of your blocks of training.”

Johnson said the appointment of former Eagles premiership-winner John Karatosios as the team’s backs coach was another motivating factor behind their approach to pre-season.

Karatosios has switched the team’s focus from punishing physical fitness sessions to skills-based training, where improved fitness is a by-product and the not sole outcome.

“The feedback is looking good and our communication networks are positive for numbers,” Johnson said.

“In general you get good numbers now and stragglers return as pre-season grows.”

Johnson said personnel turnover would be lower this off-season than in previous years while a swell of expatriate imports from Canada, Wales and New Zealand had improved depth.

Off-season surgery is set to rule out 2019 skipper Nixon Taramai for most of the season.

In their captain’s absence, Johnson is expecting big seasons from senior players Angus Blake and Arek Werstak, while young guns Evander Collins, Cameron del Moro and Jack Battese have a chance to establish themselves as competition heavyweights.