UNDER the shining Maroochydore sun, Melbourne’s Wednesday morning session was much cooler than usual.
Day three of the Queensland camp kicked off with a challenging activity in the pool at Sunshine Coast University, led by ocean adventurer Mark Visser.
Players were taught different techniques around how to control their minds in the engaging three-hour program.
Assistant coach Ben Mathews was one of many staff members involved in the session and spoke highly of the impact it had on the group.
“It is the first time we’ve done anything like this,” Mathews told Melbourne Media.
“It was really beneficial and who knows what’s to come in the future, but it was certainly a fun way of getting through to the players.”
This new activity was clearly enjoyed by the boys, and while there was plenty of fun to be had in the water, they also grew as individuals in a short space of time.
“We’re looking at different ways within our program to get a little bit of a boost … and keep improving ourselves,” Mathews said.
“This is about us and us improving.
“That was a really fun way of doing it, a fun way of learning how the mind controls the body, and I think the boys got a fair bit out of it.”
The session was undoubtedly daunting for all players as they were pushed outside their comfort zones and made to confront some tricky challenges throughout the day.
“There were a couple of guys who were pretty worried about jumping in the water and holding their breath for 25 metres and dealing with that anxiety,” Mathews said.
“It was great to see those guys come out of themselves and deal with a bit of fear and overcome it.”
The playing group have had a busy start to the trip, pushing themselves both mentally and physically in a variety of ways.
“The first two days have been pretty full on,” Mathews said.
“Saturday’s a big open session for all Demons fans in this area, but also a really important session for our players.
“We’ve got three big sessions up here which we need to maximise so we’re looking forward to it.”
A major benefit of training up North is getting used to the warm conditions, and Mathews says the hard work now should pay off later in the season.
“The climate certainly helps. The heat training has proven to be really beneficial for their training loads but also their training adaptation,” he said.
“The suns out so that has helped … and the ground’s in great condition.
“It is a good part of the world and I suppose an added benefit is they spend a fair bit of time in the water recovering and getting ready for the next session.”
