‘Bubbly’ Lions raring to go Brisbane boss impressed by players’ condition
BRISBANE aussie rules boss David Noble says Lions players have returned to training physically and mentally ready for whatever the coronavirus-hit 2020 season throws at them.
The Lions worked in small groups at the Gabba yesterday and on Monday and have had gym sessions under the strict and comprehensive raft of protocols put in place by the AFL due to the COVID-19 crisis. crisis – Tom Brady isn’t letting the COVID-19 or NFL rules stopping players from working out at team facilities – keep him from
He preparing with his new Tampa Bay team. field gathered some Buccaneers on a school for a throwing session yesterday.
Players trained in pairs or solo for the best part of two months when the season was put on hold and Noble said the playing list reported back for duty this week in great shape.
“We were really impressed with what they have been able to do and how they’ve handled themselves,” he said.
“Credit to our staff that have worked really hard to stay con
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Tour du Limousin from August 18. nected with them. The players have come back in really good shape and really good spirits ... they are bubbly and their energy levels are really good.
“They know we have to be adaptable. That’s the thing that has come through the first few days.
“We’ve got to be flexible, whether it’s to do with travel, short turnarounds or the protocols that are in place at training, and the players are learning and taking that on board.’’
Noble said playing a number of games at home when the season restarted would have some positives for the Lions without being a major advantage.
“It’s going to swing around for some teams a bit later in the season when they have to travreturn Watford skipper Troy Deeney won’t to training despite Premier League teams plans to resuming group activities. A critic of end the two-month, coronavirus-caused old break, Deeney fears for his five-year- son, who has “had breathing difficulties”. el, but there will be some benefit of having that regularity and familiarity of going home and sleeping in your own bed,’’ he said.
“When it comes to travelling, given we are used to getting on flights every second week, we know what works for us and what doesn’t.
“Whether it is fly in and fly out or we have to go away for a couple of weeks, we need to be agile in that space too.”
The Lions will have one more restricted gym session today and another field session with groups of eight players tomorrow before restrictions are eased next week.
The club hopes ruckman Stef Martin will be right to go when the season resumes next month. Martin suffered a Grade 2 cruciate ligament injury in the Round 1 loss to Hawthorn in March.