AFTERNOON naps may have been on the agenda for many of us during the festive break, but for AFL players it wasn’t because they overindulged in a second helping of leftover Christmas pudding while watching the Boxing Day test.
Kips around 3-4 pm may have occurred for players - Melbourne’s included - but it would have been from yet another rigorous training session.
And while the Christmas/New Year period was the perfect opportunity for players to take a ‘break’, it wasn’t free from training, as Melbourne’s six new players entering the AFL for the first time explained.
“I went back home to Geelong. I’m a member of a gym down in Geelong, so I went there and also used a running track. I worked my training around my time off,” rookie Tom Couch told melbournefc.com.au.
“I still trained five days a week - I made sure I did my training pretty early, so I could then head to the beach or catch up with some mates. It was like we were training, but just not at the club.”
For Jai Sheahan, who also headed back to Geelong, it was his first opportunity to catch up with close family and friends since he was drafted mid-December.
“I hadn’t really seen everyone since I got picked up, because I came straight up here and lived with a host family. So it was good to catch up with a few people,” Melbourne’s first pick in the NAB AFL Rookie Draft said.
“I had Christmas and New Year with the family, and did a fair bit of training. I trained by myself, but it was good to get back there.”
Josh Tynan’s hometown return was of a similar distance to Couch and Sheahan. But, instead of heading west of Melbourne, the club’s second selection (No.52) in the NAB AFL Draft ventured south-east, heading back to the town of Garfield.
“Garfield is about an hour and 10 mins from Melbourne, so it’s good to get back there for weekends,” Tynan said.
“I caught up with the family. I stayed at home and did my training, which was still a pretty big load. But it was good to do my main training back at home in the break.”
Rory Taggert had the furthest to travel, returning to Horsham in the Wimmera. But he continued his travels with a quick break in western Victoria.
“It was good to spend time with the family. I did all the training, and then I went to Port Fairy with my girlfriend for the New Year,” Taggert said.
“I also saw a couple of the boys from the [North Ballarat] Rebels, so it was a good time. It was good to catch up with the family - I got to see the cousins and catch up with them and a lot of mates over Christmas.”
The break for Leigh Williams, who hails from Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, meant he was closer to the club’s AAMI Park facilities, which he utilised.
“At my stage, it didn’t really bother me [having a break],” he said.
“I had a bit of catching up to do in terms of general knowledge of the game, so I came in three or four times over the break and ended up using the facilities while I was here.
“I had a few days off like Christmas Day, so after a few days to yourself, the rest was pretty much coming into the club, although we didn’t train as a group.”
And for 24 year-old James Magner, the midfielder completed swimming and bike work, while holidaying with his wife in New South Wales.
“I went away to Sydney with my wife and a couple of friends. We went out to Manly for a few days and I hadn’t been there before, so I really enjoyed that,” Magner said.
“But I’m ready to go now.”
Kips around 3-4 pm may have occurred for players - Melbourne’s included - but it would have been from yet another rigorous training session.
And while the Christmas/New Year period was the perfect opportunity for players to take a ‘break’, it wasn’t free from training, as Melbourne’s six new players entering the AFL for the first time explained.
“I went back home to Geelong. I’m a member of a gym down in Geelong, so I went there and also used a running track. I worked my training around my time off,” rookie Tom Couch told melbournefc.com.au.
“I still trained five days a week - I made sure I did my training pretty early, so I could then head to the beach or catch up with some mates. It was like we were training, but just not at the club.”
For Jai Sheahan, who also headed back to Geelong, it was his first opportunity to catch up with close family and friends since he was drafted mid-December.
“I hadn’t really seen everyone since I got picked up, because I came straight up here and lived with a host family. So it was good to catch up with a few people,” Melbourne’s first pick in the NAB AFL Rookie Draft said.
“I had Christmas and New Year with the family, and did a fair bit of training. I trained by myself, but it was good to get back there.”
Josh Tynan’s hometown return was of a similar distance to Couch and Sheahan. But, instead of heading west of Melbourne, the club’s second selection (No.52) in the NAB AFL Draft ventured south-east, heading back to the town of Garfield.
“Garfield is about an hour and 10 mins from Melbourne, so it’s good to get back there for weekends,” Tynan said.
“I caught up with the family. I stayed at home and did my training, which was still a pretty big load. But it was good to do my main training back at home in the break.”
Rory Taggert had the furthest to travel, returning to Horsham in the Wimmera. But he continued his travels with a quick break in western Victoria.
“It was good to spend time with the family. I did all the training, and then I went to Port Fairy with my girlfriend for the New Year,” Taggert said.
“I also saw a couple of the boys from the [North Ballarat] Rebels, so it was a good time. It was good to catch up with the family - I got to see the cousins and catch up with them and a lot of mates over Christmas.”
The break for Leigh Williams, who hails from Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, meant he was closer to the club’s AAMI Park facilities, which he utilised.
“At my stage, it didn’t really bother me [having a break],” he said.
“I had a bit of catching up to do in terms of general knowledge of the game, so I came in three or four times over the break and ended up using the facilities while I was here.
“I had a few days off like Christmas Day, so after a few days to yourself, the rest was pretty much coming into the club, although we didn’t train as a group.”
And for 24 year-old James Magner, the midfielder completed swimming and bike work, while holidaying with his wife in New South Wales.
“I went away to Sydney with my wife and a couple of friends. We went out to Manly for a few days and I hadn’t been there before, so I really enjoyed that,” Magner said.
“But I’m ready to go now.”
