Connor’s home alone
SALFORD STAR ON LIFE IN LOCKDOWN /PAGE 39
NO one is finding the lockdown situation easy, but for sports people accustomed to spending hours on the training field and in the gym together each day, it is a particular shock to the system.
If you also happened to be on the other side of the world to all your family, the isolation would likely be even more profoundly felt.
That’s the situation Salford hooker Connor Jones finds himself in at the moment. The 23-year-old Australian arrived at the AJ Bell Stadium in the offseason following a short stint with Featherstone Rovers.
And despite being thousands of miles from home, Jones is maintaining a positive outlook throughout the lockdown.
“It’s definitely been really tough, especially living on my own,” he said. “You’re so used to doing something productive everyday, so it’s been tough having to stay indoors and only being able to leave the house once a day for exercise or anything like that.
“It’s tough, but there’s plenty of other people out there doing it a lot tougher than I am, so when you think of it in that perspective, I’m doing okay.
“I keep in touch with my family probably more now we’re insolation than I was before.
“I know I’ll get through it and so will everyone else. I think it’s just going to make me a lot more grateful for what I have when I get it back - playing rugby league and hanging out with my teammates every day, making the most of being outside.”
The Red Devils coaching staff are making sure their players utilise their permitted exercise periods wisely while away from the club.
“Greg Brown, our strength and conditioning coach, has given us some running sessions to do throughout the weeks, so we’re doing those,” explained Jones.
“All I can really worry about now is what I can do to make sure I’m ready to go once we do get back to training.
“This time away gives us a bit of time to work on our fitness and just make sure that we’re ready to go when the season does come back around.”
And the Salford playing squad are utilising modern technology to stay connected. “We’ve got WhatsApp groups and that kind of thing, so we keep in touch,” said Jones.
“If anyone’s struggling, we’re there to pick them up as best we can.”