Queenslander
31-01-06, 11:42 PM
BRISBANE wing Leon Bott has achieved what was seemingly impossible: he's got even faster.
The Brisbane speedster, who announced his arrival with 13 tries as a schoolboy rookie last season, has stripped 6kg from his frame in an attempt to cement a keenly contested wing spot for the Broncos' season opener against North Queensland.
Dropped from the side for last year's semi-final loss to Wests Tigers, Bott asked Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett how he could improve his game - and was told that his playing weight was hampering his blistering pace.
"I did feel a bit slower towards the end of last year and I came up to Wayne and talked to him about getting faster, and we came up with the solution of trying to lose some weight and body fat," Bott said.
"I was weighing about 94-95kg and I'm sitting at about 88-89 now.
"We've got a new performance co-ordinator (Dean Benton) and he has helped me a lot with my weight loss.
"Now I feel a bit quicker and fitter."
Shedding the kilos has resulted in improved pace, with Bott recording faster 40m sprint times than in the corresponding period last year in pre-season testing, clocking in at just under 5sec over the distance.
But he has lost his mantle as the fastest man at the Broncos, with rookie Denan Kemp, who's only played 33 rugby league games, pipping him over the distance during the club's latest sprint trials.
Bott, 19, had previously finished second to New Zealand flyer Fraser Anderson, the younger brother of Kiwi internationals Vinnie and Louis.
Kemp and Anderson are yet to play in the NRL.
"It's good to have a couple of young people coming up the ranks to keep you on your toes," Bott said.
"Next time I will definitely try and get them."
Bott, who stands at just 175cm, has also tried to improve other aspects of his game, most notably his form under the high ball, after rival teams targeted him with bombs and cross-field kicks last season.
"I've been working on the high ball and defence as well as getting a bit more strength in the gym," he said.
"I got dropped last year for the Wests Tigers game and I was really disappointed about that.
"I really want to secure a spot in first grade this year."
http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,17995068-23214,00.html
The Brisbane speedster, who announced his arrival with 13 tries as a schoolboy rookie last season, has stripped 6kg from his frame in an attempt to cement a keenly contested wing spot for the Broncos' season opener against North Queensland.
Dropped from the side for last year's semi-final loss to Wests Tigers, Bott asked Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett how he could improve his game - and was told that his playing weight was hampering his blistering pace.
"I did feel a bit slower towards the end of last year and I came up to Wayne and talked to him about getting faster, and we came up with the solution of trying to lose some weight and body fat," Bott said.
"I was weighing about 94-95kg and I'm sitting at about 88-89 now.
"We've got a new performance co-ordinator (Dean Benton) and he has helped me a lot with my weight loss.
"Now I feel a bit quicker and fitter."
Shedding the kilos has resulted in improved pace, with Bott recording faster 40m sprint times than in the corresponding period last year in pre-season testing, clocking in at just under 5sec over the distance.
But he has lost his mantle as the fastest man at the Broncos, with rookie Denan Kemp, who's only played 33 rugby league games, pipping him over the distance during the club's latest sprint trials.
Bott, 19, had previously finished second to New Zealand flyer Fraser Anderson, the younger brother of Kiwi internationals Vinnie and Louis.
Kemp and Anderson are yet to play in the NRL.
"It's good to have a couple of young people coming up the ranks to keep you on your toes," Bott said.
"Next time I will definitely try and get them."
Bott, who stands at just 175cm, has also tried to improve other aspects of his game, most notably his form under the high ball, after rival teams targeted him with bombs and cross-field kicks last season.
"I've been working on the high ball and defence as well as getting a bit more strength in the gym," he said.
"I got dropped last year for the Wests Tigers game and I was really disappointed about that.
"I really want to secure a spot in first grade this year."
http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,17995068-23214,00.html