Broncos do hardest yards in military-style camp

[Queenslander]

STUNG by claims of being "soft", the Brisbane Broncos have been undertaking the toughest off-season training camp in the club's history.

"Operation Harden Up" has involved military-style training and anti-terrorist activities designed specifically for Australia's elite soldiers and top-level police.

The six-day secret camp, which ends tomorrow, has taken 20 elite rugby league players out of their five-star lifestyles and dumped them in rugged Glasshouse Mountains forests, energy-sapping McPherson Ranges jungle and closed urban training facilities at Kooralbyn, south of Brisbane.

The club's elite have endured heat, thunderstorms and demanding exercises in a bid to give the Broncos an edge in next year's National Rugby League season.

But not all were able to attend. Petero Civoniceva and Brent Tate are preparing to face New Zealand in the Tri-Nations final in England tomorrow morning, while captain Darren Lockyer is also in England but out injured. Halfback Brett Seymour is recovering from shoulder surgery and Shane Webcke had sponsors' commitments to fulfil.

A confidential club document said Operation Harden Up was to "develop leadership, initiative, teamwork, individual toughness in all participants". Tasks included carrying a 20-litre jerry can of water up Wild Horse Mountain and pushing a vehicle over rough terrain.

At the end of day one on Tuesday, players were shocked by secretly planned explosions which "injured" one of their observers, requiring them to carry the "victim" to an overnight camp by stretcher.

After a dinner that they cooked themselves, the players went on a night navigation exercise before settling in to sleep only to be roused at midnight for an emergency evacuation.

One player "wanted out" after day one but was convinced by his mates to "tough it out", a club official said.
http://www.couriermail.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,17367161%255E10389,00.html


What ever doesnt kill you, makes you stronger. This should apply to the broncos in this six-day "secret" camp. Big secert this is! :laugh:

[Super Cronk]

Many clubs have done these types of things...hopefully for the broncos sake this will help towards the end of the season next year.

[Queenslander]

AS professional footballers the Brisbane Broncos thought they knew tough.

But after what one player described as the "most brutal" experience of his life, those boundaries of tough have been totally redefined at Red Hill before season 2006.

Determined to instil a harder edge to a squad which fell apart at the business end for the fourth consecutive season, Broncos coach Wayne Bennett turned to former cage fighter and club wrestling coach Chris Haseman.

In response Haseman, in association with several ex-SAS soldiers and some of his friends in the fight world, devised a gruelling six-day camp which put the players into a series of situations which demanded the group drop their egos, work together or fall by the wayside.

From Monday to Sunday last week the group was deprived of food and sleep as they hiked through the Glasshouse Mountains forests and McPherson Ranges. They were forced to stretcher teammates throughout the hikes, as well as carrying sleeping bags and supplies.

One evening the players were given compasses and a checkpoint and left to negotiate their own way "home", while at other times they were made to push cars along the rocky terrain and negotiate their way up a mountain with a jerry-can full of water on their backs.

"The idea was to get them out of their comfort zone and into a situation where they were relying on each other to survive, basically," Haseman said.

"Some of the tasks we put to these guys were extremely daunting and in those situations you learn to depend on the guys around you. You learn a lot about those guys and about yourself and the limits you can push through when you stop working as an individual and work as a group."

After five days toughing it in the outdoors, the players were put through a torturous session at Powerhouse Fight Gym at Stafford in Brisbane's north, home to former world kickboxing champion Ian Jacobs and highly rated no-holds-barred fighters Danny Higgins and Sam Nest.

Round after round the players worked through a typical fighter's training session, with both Higgins and Jacobs sparring the players for almost four hours in a display which left many stunned and vowing to return.
"We were already pretty tired from the previous five days, but it was definitely an experience to go and work with a group of fighters in their own gym," said young prop Sam Thaiday, who dropped 6kg on the camp.

"They were just non-stop. The whole experience was something I won't forget and the guys who were on the camp have definitely shared something pretty special. I think we are all a bit closer."

Haseman said the turning point came on day three after the group had spent more than nine hours trekking down the Stinson Track only to see the team buses drive off when they were just 40m from the door, forcing the players to run an extra kilometre to the next pick-up point.

However, when the players arrived, veteran lock forward Tonie Carroll sent the buses away, saying the team would rather jog the final two kilometres to camp.

After Carroll's lead, Thaiday, Justin Hodges, Corey Parker, and Karmichael Hunt all stepped up at different times, demonstrating a new level of development as leaders of the group. Camp leaders were also impressed with the efforts of prop Nick Kenny, who worked tirelessly despite a recent shoulder reconstruction.

Not surprisingly the week had its casualties, with Joe Clarke (ankle), Greg Eastwood (foot) and Shaun Berrigan (thumb) all nursing wounds, while towering back-rower Brad Thorn couldn't wait to get a home-cooked meal having shed an incredible 8kg.

But according to Haseman the short-term pain will lead to long-term gain for the players.

"It was something pretty special to see, the way the group responded and the way certain guys took on leadership roles," he said. "Some guys, who probably haven't had the biggest profile at the club in previous year, stood up and led the way and no player who was there and part of that experience will forget that.

Previously, guys like Darren Lockyer and Shane Webcke have probably shouldered too much leadership responsibility but I think there will be a whole new hierarchy this year, with more guys ready to share the load.

"As a camp organiser I couldn't have hoped for a better result. To witness the change in the group dynamic and of each individual was incredible. It is the perfect platform for what we expect will be a pretty big year."

http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,17419874-23214,00.html

[Dakink]

Fantasic response from the players by the look of it!!!

[Queenslander]

However, when the players arrived, veteran lock forward Tonie Carroll sent the buses away, saying the team would rather jog the final two kilometres to camp.

After Carroll's lead, Thaiday, Justin Hodges, Corey Parker, and Karmichael Hunt all stepped up at different times, demonstrating a new level of development as leaders of the group. Camp leaders were also impressed with the efforts of prop Nick Kenny, who worked tirelessly despite a recent shoulder reconstruction.

Its good to see this sort of effort from the players, it brought a tear to my eye :)


while towering back-rower Brad Thorn couldn't wait to get a home-cooked meal having shed an incredible 8kg.

Well we cant expect the world of them.............but 8kgs off Brad Thorn is like losing a feather off a bird ;)

[Research Station Drive]

I wonder who the player was who wanted out?

My guess would have been Hodges - but according to that he stepped up, surprising.

[Queenslander]

I wonder who the player was who wanted out?
I think it would have been Brad Thorn, it would have been a huge strain on his body.


My guess would have been Hodges - but according to that he stepped up, surprising.
Same, i didnt expect much from Hodges when he returned but now he has got rid of the demons of the past and will be one of the best on field for the broncos next season.

[Teegy]

Broncs have been doing this for years.

[Queenslander]

Broncs have been doing this for years.

Yeah, but not as tough as this one though. :thumbsup:

[Research Station Drive]

I think it would have been Brad Thorn, it would have been a huge strain on his body.


Same, i didnt expect much from Hodges when he returned but now he has got rid of the demons of the past and will be one of the best on field for the broncos next season.

As mentioned earlier Thorn would have been carrying the most weight therefore would have lost the most in terms of kg's. Perhaps more players lost greater per centage weight though?

I think Hodges is capable of anything. Get his head on right and he'll be up there with Gaz and Coops. This article could show the tipping point for Hodges.

[Kallan]

This hopefully will help he Broncos, there better not me another end of season fade out :') :mad:

[DIEHARD]

Brutal camp fires Broncos

As professional footballers the Brisbane Broncos thought they knew tough.

But after what one player described as the "most brutal" experience of his life, those boundaries of tough have been totally redefined at Red Hill before season 2006.

Determined to instil a harder edge to a squad which fell apart at the business end for the fourth consecutive season, Broncos coach Wayne Bennett turned to former cage fighter and club wrestling coach Chris Haseman.

In response Haseman, in association with several ex-SAS soldiers and some of his friends in the fight world, devised a gruelling six-day camp which put the players into a series of situations which demanded the group drop their egos, work together or fall by the wayside.

From Monday to Sunday last week the group was deprived of food and sleep as they hiked through the Glasshouse Mountains forests and McPherson Ranges. They were forced to stretcher teammates throughout the hikes, as well as carrying sleeping bags and supplies.

One evening the players were given compasses and a checkpoint and left to negotiate their own way "home", while at other times they were made to push cars along the rocky terrain and negotiate their way up a mountain with a jerry-can full of water on their backs.

"The idea was to get them out of their comfort zone and into a situation where they were relying on each other to survive, basically," Haseman said.

"Some of the tasks we put to these guys were extremely daunting and in those situations you learn to depend on the guys around you. You learn a lot about those guys and about yourself and the limits you can push through when you stop working as an individual and work as a group."

After five days toughing it in the outdoors, the players were put through a torturous session at Powerhouse Fight Gym at Stafford in Brisbane's north, home to former world kickboxing champion Ian Jacobs and highly rated no-holds-barred fighters Danny Higgins and Sam Nest.

Round after round the players worked through a typical fighter's training session, with both Higgins and Jacobs sparring the players for almost four hours in a display which left many stunned and vowing to return.
"We were already pretty tired from the previous five days, but it was definitely an experience to go and work with a group of fighters in their own gym," said young prop Sam Thaiday, who dropped 6kg on the camp.

"They were just non-stop. The whole experience was something I won't forget and the guys who were on the camp have definitely shared something pretty special. I think we are all a bit closer."

Haseman said the turning point came on day three after the group had spent more than nine hours trekking down the Stinson Track only to see the team buses drive off when they were just 40m from the door, forcing the players to run an extra kilometre to the next pick-up point.

However, when the players arrived, veteran lock forward Tonie Carroll sent the buses away, saying the team would rather jog the final two kilometres to camp.

After Carroll's lead, Thaiday, Justin Hodges, Corey Parker, and Karmichael Hunt all stepped up at different times, demonstrating a new level of development as leaders of the group. Camp leaders were also impressed with the efforts of prop Nick Kenny, who worked tirelessly despite a recent shoulder reconstruction.

Not surprisingly the week had its casualties, with Joe Clarke (ankle), Greg Eastwood (foot) and Shaun Berrigan (thumb) all nursing wounds, while towering back-rower Brad Thorn couldn't wait to get a home-cooked meal having shed an incredible 8kg.

But according to Haseman the short-term pain will lead to long-term gain for the players.

"It was something pretty special to see, the way the group responded and the way certain guys took on leadership roles," he said. "Some guys, who probably haven't had the biggest profile at the club in previous year, stood up and led the way and no player who was there and part of that experience will forget that.

Previously, guys like Darren Lockyer and Shane Webcke have probably shouldered too much leadership responsibility but I think there will be a whole new hierarchy this year, with more guys ready to share the load.

"As a camp organiser I couldn't have hoped for a better result. To witness the change in the group dynamic and of each individual was incredible. It is the perfect platform for what we expect will be a pretty big year."

The Australian

[Queenslander]

Diehard, i posted that article earlier this morning ;)

[DIEHARD]

Diehard, i posted that article earlier this morning ;)

Oh yea, I guess I didn't look back further enough. Good stuff.

[[BroncosGirl]]

Aaahh its great to see they're getting pushed.!!! :D Motivates us fans too!
Good on Sammy and Thorn for losing that amount of weight too!!

Its good to see some of the guys stepping up to leadership roles, especially hunt, who most broncos fans see as a future long term captain of the Broncos.