Training 2022 Men’s Preseason Thread - New training reports - 15/3

Feb 2, 2011
3,902
6,082
Sydney
AFL Club
Essendon
Other Teams
Minnesota Vikings, Miami Heat
1638152707817.png


Looks like Snelling may take Zaka's #11 and Durham may take Mozzies #22
 

Attachments

  • 1638152708426.png
    1638152708426.png
    1.1 MB · Views: 77
Apr 23, 2016
30,510
42,674
AFL Club
Essendon
How fast are AFL listed players running a 2km these days?

Below should cover it; 6:30 is about the mark for midfielders, I'd expect true wingmen like Isaac Smith or Brad Hill to be under that. KPPs and Ruckmen above it. Blicavs has said he wouldn't run anywhere near that time now given how much weight he's had to put on. I'd expect Cox will be a similar case.

Running men: Who's your club's endurance king? (afl.com.au)

As a former athlete on the verge of qualifying for the Olympics, Mark Blicavs is the best long-distance runner at Geelong and in the entire competition. After missing the Olympic qualifying time in the 1500m by six seconds, Blicavs has consistently burned his competition in his time at the club starting mid-way through 2012. Most midfielders run around six minutes and 30 secs for 2km, with the very elite runners closing in on six minutes. Blicavs' personal best time over that distance during his football career – 5 minutes 39 secs – would blow his competitors away. The Cats now have a 15-minute run as their test of choice, with Blicavs beating Irish teammate Mark O'Connor by 150m when they undertook the test before Christmas.

Rebel with a cause: Running machine smashes 2km time trial record (afl.com.au)

Sharp has (had?) the record at 5:28 which is miles ahead of pretty much anyone else that's ever done it.

Cox was 4th at the Vic Metro combine last year with a 6:03, Perkins ran a 6:23.

FWIW the 2021 National Combine 2km Top 10 was from 5:48 to 6:26.

I'd expect the really top-end times at the combines are no worse than the best AFL players would run given most players have to gain weight once they're in the system.
 
Below should cover it; 6:30 is about the mark for midfielders, I'd expect true wingmen like Isaac Smith or Brad Hill to be under that. KPPs and Ruckmen above it. Blicavs has said he wouldn't run anywhere near that time now given how much weight he's had to put on. I'd expect Cox will be a similar case.

Running men: Who's your club's endurance king? (afl.com.au)



Rebel with a cause: Running machine smashes 2km time trial record (afl.com.au)

Sharp has (had?) the record at 5:28 which is miles ahead of pretty much anyone else that's ever done it.

Cox was 4th at the Vic Metro combine last year with a 6:03, Perkins ran a 6:23.

FWIW the 2021 National Combine 2km Top 10 was from 5:48 to 6:26.

I'd expect the really top-end times at the combines are no worse than the best AFL players would run given most players have to gain weight once they're in the system.

It is interesting the times don't change too much once they are in the system.
I'd assume it's more the ability to maintain it during games that grows as they mature in the AFL
 
Cox was 4th at the Vic Metro combine last year with a 6:03, Perkins ran a 6:23.
I think I remember reading that Cox was capable of sub 6s and was pissed he missed it instead of happy he came first? Might've been the club 2km time trial rather than the combine one though.
 
Apr 23, 2016
30,510
42,674
AFL Club
Essendon
It is interesting the times don't change too much once they are in the system.
I'd assume it's more the ability to maintain it during games that grows as they mature in the AFL

Generally draftees gain weight once they're at an AFL club, they might have similar (or better) underlying aerobic capacity after years in the system, but the extra weight means they aren't running quicker over 2km.

More likely you'll see them better able to apply that running to real-world game scenarios, and improving other aspects like their acceleration or top speed. Cox for example, has an elite 2km time but wasn't covering as much ground as Heppell in-game.

The positive is, if you're drafting guys like Cox (who's elite for a smaller player, let alone one at ~ 2m tall) or Perkins that already have the standard needed over 2km, you know they're not going to have an issue with the running side of the game at AFL level, and they don't have to spend their pre-seasons trying to get stronger and build their aerobic capacity.

Francis is the opposite example, and it's taken him a number of years to build up a tank to run out an AFL game.
 
If Walla is out of shape then his personal trainer must have been crap. :think:
Personally I do not care where he finishes the 2km time trial. He just has to be fit enough to get around in the 50 meter arc.
 
Training photos 29/11
For reference on Walla’s fitness I found these pictures while looking through the BB training thread. While he is obviously far from peak condition and not really looking AFL fit, I’d argue he still looks better than the average Joe and a hard 4 month training program can get him back to his best.

EC29C41F-89DA-41B8-A8D5-4C6AABA7257F.jpeg

7E313BA1-8B99-4EB5-86A3-94DA7E6475EC.jpeg

21BF75F1-4022-4D6D-B2FC-1B9C0232B14E.jpeg

917BFB70-D5CA-40DE-AF19-D8CEF09A207B.jpeg
 
Training photos pt 2 29/11
Walla does look like he has had the odd trip to KFC now but at least he is on the track and has time to get himself into shape.
 
May 6, 2007
39,093
22,782
South East Suburbs
AFL Club
Essendon
Other Teams
Tottenham Hotspurs, Melbourne Vixen
Worth asking if Dylan Clarke has Ben spotted at training


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Jul 15, 2008
10,248
17,186
AFL Club
Essendon
Other Teams
Celtics, Colts, Renegades
For reference on Walla’s fitness I found these pictures while looking through the BB training thread. While he is obviously far from peak condition and not really looking AFL fit, I’d argue he still looks better than the average Joe and a hard 4 month training program can get him back to his best.

View attachment 1289397
View attachment 1289396
View attachment 1289394
View attachment 1289395
What I’m most interested in is his mental condition. If he needed to relax, eat and enjoy life to get right then that’s all I care about.
 

Islanda22

Club Legend
Feb 11, 2014
1,833
1,049
Australia
AFL Club
Melbourne
For reference on Walla’s fitness I found these pictures while looking through the BB training thread. While he is obviously far from peak condition and not really looking AFL fit, I’d argue he still looks better than the average Joe and a hard 4 month training program can get him back to his best.

View attachment 1289397
View attachment 1289396
View attachment 1289394
View attachment 1289395

Wow he is looking huge, hope he can trim down before start of season

Would have to be in the high 90's in weight

Has an older brother named Ephrem who has an even bigger built than this and he was a fantastic player in the NTFL
 
Back