Preseason with Juppy

March 30, March 30, March 30... that date has kept me going through another gruelling pre-season. March 30, our first game on a Friday afternoon against the reigning premiers Peel, finally our chance to make up for a dismal showing last season. 

Pre-season never gets easier, but I can comfortably say this year has been my toughest, both mentally and physically. It’s a long summer when you put in the performances we did last season and the reality of where we are at has pushed our training intensity to a new level. You can’t get better doing the same things, and on that note, we’ve trained longer and harder every single night. Our training has been completely stripped down and I don’t think I’ve ever had more touches of the footy than what I’ve had this pre-season. The thinking behind that is to make sure we are fit and we use the ball well, the two key fundamentals to winning WAFL football.

The club has definitely seen a lot of change in the past 6 months. It was sad to see our old conditioning coach Ashley Cripps move on at the end of last year, but with change brings fresh ideas, methods and a rejuvenated vibe. Matt Riley and Tom Newman from Ludus Sports Performance gym have come on board and haven’t missed a beat. Some of the changes they’ve implemented should see a significant reduction in injuries. They are class operators and should see our stars on the park fit and healthy.

Another significant change this years has been the introduction of SAS army staffers taking the group for a 30-45-minute session of hell every Monday and Friday. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t dread seeing the battle ropes, boxing gloves, kettlebells and sleds unpacking out of their trucks each night.  But as the sessions have passed they’ve become more bearable - we have certainly got stronger in the body and more importantly the mind.

We have been blessed this year with a few high-profile recruits and some gun colts premiership players coming up. A sentence on a few impressing on the track;

Nick Kommer - Hard nose bull! Exciting player to watch and one that strikes fear in to the opposition.

Jon Griffin – Tough and resilient leader, his presence has lifted our standards immensely. He’s going to be a great club captain.

Blaine Boekhorst - All class, a good mate of mine from way back. His skill and speed are a level above the WAFL. 

Jarred Jansen - best on track over pre-season by a mile. He’s trained the house down and will slot in nicely anywhere on the ground (hopefully down back with me).

Jordan Snadden - Unassuming hard worker with a sizzling left foot. Exciting addition to the mid forward rotation.

Cameron Loersch - The big fella has had a slight injury setback so he hasn’t seen much track time. Can clunk them though and I can’t wait to see him duking them up forward in the ones.

Russell Wynne – A young livewire mid forward from down south, can sell some of the best candy you’ll see.

Chris Scott - Hard running utility defender, unlucky not to get drafted after a great year in the colts. Could easily play round 1 if he continues to training well.

And finally, I’d love to thank the club for their faith in me and my leadership by announcing me as the Vice-Captain, it’s a great honour and something I’ll continue to cherish. As I sign off I’m getting ready to attend our annual pre-season camp down south, which will be a great opportunity for our fresh rejuvenated group to really gel.

We’re super excited about 2018, the year of the shark!

-Matthew Jupp