Traded #25: Jake Stringer - 📦 Traded to GWS for Pick #53 - 16/10

[faible]

Whilst many of our players have had interrupted pre-seasons it sounds like Stringer is as fit as he's ever been in his time here

AFL 2020: Jake Stringer Essendon, best pre-season ever, Bombers injuries

In the midst of his club’s wretched summer injury run, Essendon gun Jake Stringer says he’s never been in better shape after experiencing one of his best and smoothest pre-seasons of his AFL career.

www.foxsports.com.au

In the midst of his club’s wretched summer injury run, Essendon gun Jake Stringer says he’s never been in better shape after experiencing one of his best and smoothest pre-seasons of his AFL career.

A host of key Bombers have, at different stages over the past few months, battled a range of injuries or suffered setbacks, including Joe Daniher (groin), Cale Hooker (hip), Dylan Shiel (knee) David Zaharakis (knee), Dyson Heppell (foot), Michael Hurley (shoulder) and Orazio Fantasia (hip).

However Stringer, who battled foot, knee and hamstring issues to play 19 of a possible 23 games in 2019, has not just been a constant presence on the track, but also one of Essendon’s best trainers.

In his eighth AFL pre-season, Stringer recently ran a personal best in the 2km time trial, slashing a whopping 20 seconds off his previous top time.

Asked on SEN Breakfast how he was going physically, Stringer cheekily said: “I’m borderline flying at the minute … nah I’m going well.”

The 25-year-old said it’d been “one of the hardest pre-seasons I’ve ever done”. He hailed the influence of the Bombers’ new head of strength and conditioning Sean Murphy, who’s come across from Hawthorn and “really tested us physically and mentally”.

“Not being injured is a massive part and I don't think I've missed a session the whole pre-season, which is all you can ask for when you go into a pre-season is complete as many sessions as you can. I’d be probably in the top one or two at the club that hasn’t missed,” Stringer told SEN on Friday morning.

Asked if it’d been one of his smoothest AFL pre-seasons yet, Stringer declared: “Yeah, by far.

“Last year was pretty good, but this year’s been taken to a new level with Sean Murphy coming across. He's really pushed the boundaries with me.

“It's been a hard slog and, don't worry, I'm looking forward to playing and getting out of this pre-season phase.”

Even though Stringer is “flying”, he said seven or eight teammates are still not in full training, but the “majority of them were running”.

“Not everything's gone to plan, obviously. There's been a few blokes that are still not quite into full training, but that's part of football and part of the pre-season. You’ve just got to deal with whatever comes,” Stringer said.

He later added: “We’re in a great position to able to springboard into the season and hopefully get a few more of these top echelon blokes back.”

The first-round draft pick kicked 98.55 for the Bulldogs in 2015 and 2016 before being traded ahead of the 2018 season to the Bombers, where he’s spent recent summers training with the on-ballers.

Stringer said the plan was still for him to play a mixture of midfield and forward minutes this season, but added he’d been training primarily with the attacking group this pre-season and “honing in on my craft as a forward”.

Stringer said Essendon’s succession plan, which will see senior coach John Worsfold gradually hand the reins to assistant Ben Rutten throughout 2020, was working well. He said Worsfold was at the club everyday and engaged with the players, but Rutten took charge of all tactical discussions and meetings.

“The work that John and Ben have done together has been absolutely outstanding and literally the smoothest transition that you could possibly ever see. It's a credit to both of them how well it's actually gone,” Stringer said.

“I couldn’t be happier with where the club is at the minute.”

Stringer said there’d be a noticeable but not dramatic change to the club’s game plan this season.

“It’ll definitely be a lot more consistent,” Stringer said.

“From a whole learning (process) and even in training, you’re seeing it more and more every time we’re doing bits of match ‘sim’. I think it’ll be very noticeable when people come to watch us.”

 

[Keystone agony]

Comes down to what days you see . If you are at the skills / match sim sessions then you probably only see the rehab guys running as the main group are doing the higher intensity stuff in the drills or before the drills.
The base fitness is often done on non skill’s days or early before the main stuff kicks off.
Like I said I have seen a copy of programs from a few clubs . You would have to attend 6 days a week to see everything. You can not say it does not happen as you did not watch 6 days of training a week.
I go down Melrose Drive a lot during the week. Not unusual to see a few guys running.

Doesn’t change where this all came from and that was Stringer doing slow laps was not uncommon to build / keep base fitness.

Was more around the general running/fitness ability of the group and team

But yeh Stringer with injury shouldnt be doing any high intensity running

Ive been involved in WAFL programs which have been run by guys working in the top of NRL/AFL clubs since and as said before to several sessions during preseason for 2 different afl clubs

What i initially said there wouldnt be much long stuff anymore and ive never seen anyone just jog around for several kms continuously

Would you be able to show those programs to us? Would be interesting to see what clubs are doing that and at what dates in the preseason

 

[ant555]

Was more around the general running/fitness ability of the group and team

But yeh Stringer with injury shouldnt be doing any high intensity running

Ive been involved in WAFL programs which have been run by guys working in the top of NRL/AFL clubs since and as said before to several sessions during preseason for 2 different afl clubs

What i initially said there wouldnt be much long stuff anymore and ive never seen anyone just jog around for several kms continuously

Would you be able to show those programs to us? Would be interesting to see what clubs are doing that and at what dates in the preseason

I would if I actually had the copy. I just got to read them.
The basic part is they do a certain amount of km . If that is complete in the skills/ match sim then there is limited long runs . Yup do not see much group running as most complete most of the km in drills in season.
You will get some that will need to do some extra. Have seen players do 4 or 5 laps after a main training and even after a VFL game doing some run through’s if the did not hit the GPS targets.

I think semantics are taking over here a bit. To get to the in season program the all have to do a lot of running. Once they are in season it depends on what program they are on as to how many km of slow work they do.

 

[Livonski]

Never intruded before…but saw ch7 news just now. Stringer. You can’t be happy with that? Injury or not the roly poly guts was a very bad look.
He’s a different beast that one.

 

[ant555]

Never intruded before…but saw ch7 news just now. Stringer. You can’t be happy with that? Injury or not the roly poly guts was a very bad look.
He’s a different beast that one.

It is a better look than having him hard fit but not able to run because they have blown up his groin again.

 

[dank420_]

Never intruded before…but saw ch7 news just now. Stringer. You can’t be happy with that? Injury or not the roly poly guts was a very bad look.
He’s a different beast that one.

To be honest, the ideal situation would for him to be playing at his best/injury free while also being fat as ****.

 

[faible]

To be honest, the ideal situation would for him to be playing at his best/injury free while also being fat as *.

All that extra cushion just makes him harder to tackle. Like trying to stop a fridge with momentum.

 

[andleanback]

It is a better look than having him hard fit but not able to run because they have blown up his groin again.

I just don’t see this argument. You don’t have to be hard fit, just drop the weight! Strip the body of 5-6kg and easy up the load and he won’t get as many injuries. Look how much difference it made to buddy. And he sure wasn’t doing high intensity training to drop some weight.

 

[ant555]

I just don’t see this argument. You don’t have to be hard fit, just drop the weight! Strip the body of 5-6kg and easy up the load and he won’t get as many injuries. Look how much difference it made to buddy. And he sure wasn’t doing high intensity training to drop some weight.

It is an easy argument. If the club is happy with where he was at then who is anyone else to say it is wrong to be 3 or so kg over ideal weight.
I saw him first hand on Saturday. He is not 5 or 6 kg over weight.
If the coach is happy to have a slow build up then that is what it is.
What Buddy did is irrelevant. They are not the same case .

 

[Keystone agony]

Just think these power athletes are more susceptible to injury aswell compared to your guys running up and down a wing for 15kms like Gaff/Langdon ect

Elliott Yeo been rock hard fit and played far less games than Stringer the past 2 years and is also meant to have been on his prime at that time

Stringers been great for us and over the journey an incredibly consistent forward. Take the good with the bad

 

[faible]

It is an easy argument. If the club is happy with where he was at then who is anyone else to say it is wrong to be 3 or so kg over ideal weight.
I saw him first hand on Saturday. He is not 5 or 6 kg over weight.
If the coach is happy to have a slow build up then that is what it is.
What Buddy did is irrelevant. They are not the same case .

Buddy also often looks a kg or two overweight, hasn't held him back.

 

[andleanback]

It is an easy argument. If the club is happy with where he was at then who is anyone else to say it is wrong to be 3 or so kg over ideal weight.
I saw him first hand on Saturday. He is not 5 or 6 kg over weight.
If the coach is happy to have a slow build up then that is what it is.
What Buddy did is irrelevant. They are not the same case .

I’m not saying he’s 5-6kg over weight. I’m saying it would be much easier on his body to drop weight (muscle included!). Playing skinnier at a lighter weight. Buddy is just one of many players that have dropped muscle to stop constant injuries. Fyfe is another that needs to strip back a bit to take some of the load off his body, and no one is saying he doesn’t take care of his body.

 

[andleanback]

Buddy also often looks a kg or two overweight, hasn't held him back.

Go and look at pictures from him last year and then in 2017 etc, totally different body shape.

 

[bacon buster]

It is an easy argument. If the club is happy with where he was at then who is anyone else to say it is wrong to be 3 or so kg over ideal weight.

Well they don't have the best track record for getting it right. Nor does Jake

 

[Nifft]

All that extra cushion just makes him harder to tackle. Like trying to stop a fridge with momentum.

Or a couch with momentum... with a few extra cushions nestled in there

 

[ant555]

I’m not saying he’s 5-6kg over weight. I’m saying it would be much easier on his body to drop weight (muscle included!). Playing skinnier at a lighter weight. Buddy is just one of many players that have dropped muscle to stop constant injuries. Fyfe is another that needs to strip back a bit to take some of the load off his body, and no one is saying he doesn’t take care of his body.

You are putting everyone in one box. The level he has to train at the look the way you want him to does not work for him . That has been proven two seasons in a row when he has been in great condition at the end of December and broken down in March.
If the coach is happy then I have no issues.

 

[ant555]

Well they don't have the best track record for getting it right. Nor does Jake

I would say they got results in 2018 and 2019 . The last two years they trained him like a midfielder and he has not been able to take the work load and has bee cooked before round 1 . Not saying he has always been 100% switched on but in the 5 seasons with us it was only 2020 when he was outside the Covid bubble where he was more a contributor to his lack of fitness. It is hardly his fault if they have run him into the ground before February two seasons in a row.

 

[bacon buster]

yeah sorry, i don't buy that. he is most accountable for his conditioning level.

let's see how it plays out this year.

 

[faible]

yeah sorry, i don't buy that. he is most accountable for his conditioning level.

let's see how it plays out this year.

What about when he's done the program he's given and breaks down because it's too much?

 

[bacon buster]

What about when he's done the program he's given and breaks down because it's too much?

Sure. What about all the other times he’s had fitness or injury issues?

 

[ant555]

yeah sorry, i don't buy that. he is most accountable for his conditioning level.

let's see how it plays out this year.

You can buy what you want. The simple fact is the last 2 seasons he has done midfield work load and has been in great shape before breaking down some time in January. They are the facts. No one has said he has had not had times where he has contributed to his lack of fitness. 2017 at the Dogs . 2020 with us when he had to stay in Melbourne. The facts are the facts. If you want to make your own reality then that is how it is.

 

[ant555]

This has blown up to a ridiculous level. His current injury issue has nothing to do with him being 3 or so kg over his ideal weight. Two weeks ago he was one of the better performers in the match sim. His program has been a slow and steady build which was 100% on track until last week. The current injury is not a result of being unprofessional or not doing the work they wanted him to do. Has nothing to do with his current weight. Yet uninformed people want to throw rocks from the side lines because he is filling out a training jumper slightly
Talk about 1 + 1 = 5.
No one denies he has had some history as far as not looking after himself and being all over the place off field but that is not the case right now.

From personal experience I know what it is like. To play footy at my best level I had to train bloody hard. My old man and his sister are both large (140kg)
I have those genetics and slow metabolism. To keep the weight down I had to do a power of running and bike riding and swimming to play at 89kg and I am 180cm. I had an ACL at 16 which did not help as often I had to reduce the running and do more bike and swimming. It took its toll. I did the same ACL at 25 and was retired by 28 as I could no longer do the work load to stay fit enough to play.

Stringer had a very badly broken leg before he was drafted and was on a modified program the first 3 years at the Dogs and was never really pushed to the limits as they knew he was suspect under high work load. Now that does not excuse the times he has let his standards drop which there have been a few. Does not excuse him for being a bit of a dickhead off field for a while either but he is not a normal beast when it comes to conditioning either. He has freakish ability but he does not have the athletic ability or body to match it even when he is fully switched on and as you get older it gets harder to go at the level needed.

 

[andleanback]

You are putting everyone in one box. The level he has to train at the look the way you want him to does not work for him . That has been proven two seasons in a row when he has been in great condition at the end of December and broken down in March.
If the coach is happy then I have no issues.

How am I putting everyone in one box. It’s common knowledge athletes with bulk shed size to ease up the toll on their bodies as they play into their 30s and half the time they’re athletes that don’t have half the injury history of Jake.

Don’t know why you have so much angst about the idea of Jake shedding some weight/ muscle to help his longevity

 

[ant555]

How am I putting everyone in one box. It’s common knowledge athletes with bulk shed size to ease up the toll on their bodies as they play into their 30s and half the time they’re athletes that don’t have half the injury history of Jake.

Because even the bulk athletes are not all the same and not all of them have had the injury Stringer had before he was drafted. It is not that simple. Secondly Jake is not an athlete. He is a bloke with massive footy ability but very limited athletic ability . The workload is always going to be higher. I would have to check but I am reasonably sure he was 90kg when he was drafted. He has not really got a lot bigger. If you are 90kg at 18 and playing at 95-96 at 28 you are not really going to be getting back to 90kg.

 

[andleanback]

Because even the bulk athletes are not all the same and not all of them have had the injury Stringer had before he was drafted. It is not that simple. Secondly Jake is not an athlete. He is a bloke with massive footy ability but very limited athletic ability . The workload is always going to be higher. I would have to check but I am reasonably sure he was 90kg when he was drafted. He has not really got a lot bigger.

Anyone playing afl is an athlete, come on now.
So an pre draft injury affects your ability to change your diet, because he broke his leg he’ll never be able to cut weight?

His shape at the end of 2017

 

[ant555]

Anyone playing afl is an athlete, come on now.
So an pre draft injury affects your ability to change your diet, because he broke his leg he’ll never be able to cut weight?

Just looked it up. Have found sites saying he was drafted at 92 kg and the AFL site 94kg. I thought it was 90kg. He is currently listed at 95. So you are saying he should be able to get under the weight he was when he was 18 ? Have to ask have you ever had to deal with weight issues yourself ? They guy is still within 3kg of the weight he was 10 years ago. It has nothing to do with his diet. He is almost guaranteed to be over 105kg when he retires. And do you know his diet is off track or is it just another 1+1=3
And no not all AFL players are athletes. They are highly trained but they are not all natural athletes.