NGHAWK
5 Nov 2007, 17:12
Hawks young-guns return
4:35 PM Mon 5 November, 2007 | Back (javascript:history.go(-1);)
for hawthornfc.com.au
News
The week commenced with number of Hawks reporting for pre-season training ahead of next Monday’s full squad recall. Those players who have completed three years of service or less were put through their paces by Hawthorn’s head fitness coach, Andrew Russell, with coaching staff eagerly looking on and at other times even joining in.
After an initial orientation of the pre-season schedule, the young Hawks, including Jarryd Roughead, Lance Franklin, Xavier Ellis, Simon Taylor, Grant Birchall, Clinton Young and Jordan Lewis, hit the oval for a ‘welcome back to footy’ rep-session including 6x200m and 6x150m sprints.
However, it was smiles all round as many of the young Hawks stars know that it’s a long road ahead and, according one particularly interested onlooker, Hawthorn Coach Alastair Clarkson, it will be from this group that the improvement will come in 2008.
“I expect more of them to step up over the pre-season and try and stamp their name on a spot in the opening pre-season cup match against Sydney,” Clarkson told hawthornfc.com.au
“It’s a real reflection of our playing list - the amount of young guys that we have coming back to training this week. Some of these guys have only been in the system a couple of years but have already stepped up and played AFL.”
Clarkson has also been encouraged that the entire squad are on track to participate in a full pre-season campaign. It was not a post-season distracted with surgeries or serious injuries.
“We’ve been really happy that everyone is here and ready to train. In the past we’ve had a few guys who have had to have post-season surgery but we’ve got a fit group of guys that are ready to go this time.
“The important thing is for the guys to come back refreshed and we’ve got a good group of young kids who are eager to progress again though the course of this summer and ready to show themselves as legitimate finals contenders in 2008.”
The full Hawthorn squad will return for training on Monday November 12.
4:35 PM Mon 5 November, 2007 | Back (javascript:history.go(-1);)
for hawthornfc.com.au
News
The week commenced with number of Hawks reporting for pre-season training ahead of next Monday’s full squad recall. Those players who have completed three years of service or less were put through their paces by Hawthorn’s head fitness coach, Andrew Russell, with coaching staff eagerly looking on and at other times even joining in.
After an initial orientation of the pre-season schedule, the young Hawks, including Jarryd Roughead, Lance Franklin, Xavier Ellis, Simon Taylor, Grant Birchall, Clinton Young and Jordan Lewis, hit the oval for a ‘welcome back to footy’ rep-session including 6x200m and 6x150m sprints.
However, it was smiles all round as many of the young Hawks stars know that it’s a long road ahead and, according one particularly interested onlooker, Hawthorn Coach Alastair Clarkson, it will be from this group that the improvement will come in 2008.
“I expect more of them to step up over the pre-season and try and stamp their name on a spot in the opening pre-season cup match against Sydney,” Clarkson told hawthornfc.com.au
“It’s a real reflection of our playing list - the amount of young guys that we have coming back to training this week. Some of these guys have only been in the system a couple of years but have already stepped up and played AFL.”
Clarkson has also been encouraged that the entire squad are on track to participate in a full pre-season campaign. It was not a post-season distracted with surgeries or serious injuries.
“We’ve been really happy that everyone is here and ready to train. In the past we’ve had a few guys who have had to have post-season surgery but we’ve got a fit group of guys that are ready to go this time.
“The important thing is for the guys to come back refreshed and we’ve got a good group of young kids who are eager to progress again though the course of this summer and ready to show themselves as legitimate finals contenders in 2008.”
The full Hawthorn squad will return for training on Monday November 12.