Super Cronk
07-10-05, 06:32 PM
WHILE their NRL opponents have been whooping it up, Penrith and the Sydney Roosters have ditched Mad Monday drinking sessions for training sessions.
Both sides missed the play-offs after disappointing seasons, but rather than being rewarded with an early overseas holiday, they've broken with tradition to train all the way up to grand final day.
Penrith coach John Lang said the extra sessions weren't a punishment for their lowly 10th-place finish, but rather due to practical reasons.
"You plan on being in the grand final, so we planned ahead and figured our holiday period would be in October-November," Lang said today.
"We planned for success rather than failure and we try to keep our year standard.
"Maybe (the players) felt they were punishing themselves a little bit.
"It was not intended that way, but a couple of guys said they don't deserve a break.
"I spoke to them before I decided to go ahead with it, I spoke to management, and they all agreed.
"We didn't see it as any great radical thing. The guys like to keep their fitness up and they'll have a seven-week break from training."
Lang said his players, who will return to training on November 21, simply enjoyed being around each other.
"Mixing with their football mates is a big part of their life now," Lang said.
"We didn't train that hard, they did four gym sessions per week, a couple of sprint sessions ? we just went back to basics and worked on their techniques rather than hard physical training.
"It wasn't a real tough four weeks, we just kept them ticking along and gave me a chance to do a debrief."
Likewise, the Roosters have also been sweating it out up until the end of September in an attempt to integrate new buys Braith Anasta, Ashley Harrison and Charlie Tonga.
"It was to get to know the new players in the squad and to keep the other guys ticking over," explained Roosters football operations manager Steve Gigg.
"So when they have a break, they'll come back in mid-November for pre-season training and they'll know the basic calls of our club.
"It was just a matter of adjusting to our way of doing things and we were very pleased with it.
"It wasn't heavy, it wasn't as if they were getting flogged or a more normal football situation."
Gee admitted not all the players were keen to continue training after their season had ended.
"They would have probably preferred not to be there, but it kept them ticking over," he said.
"If we'd have stopped training straight away, it would have meant a 10-week break.
foxsports.com.au
Both sides missed the play-offs after disappointing seasons, but rather than being rewarded with an early overseas holiday, they've broken with tradition to train all the way up to grand final day.
Penrith coach John Lang said the extra sessions weren't a punishment for their lowly 10th-place finish, but rather due to practical reasons.
"You plan on being in the grand final, so we planned ahead and figured our holiday period would be in October-November," Lang said today.
"We planned for success rather than failure and we try to keep our year standard.
"Maybe (the players) felt they were punishing themselves a little bit.
"It was not intended that way, but a couple of guys said they don't deserve a break.
"I spoke to them before I decided to go ahead with it, I spoke to management, and they all agreed.
"We didn't see it as any great radical thing. The guys like to keep their fitness up and they'll have a seven-week break from training."
Lang said his players, who will return to training on November 21, simply enjoyed being around each other.
"Mixing with their football mates is a big part of their life now," Lang said.
"We didn't train that hard, they did four gym sessions per week, a couple of sprint sessions ? we just went back to basics and worked on their techniques rather than hard physical training.
"It wasn't a real tough four weeks, we just kept them ticking along and gave me a chance to do a debrief."
Likewise, the Roosters have also been sweating it out up until the end of September in an attempt to integrate new buys Braith Anasta, Ashley Harrison and Charlie Tonga.
"It was to get to know the new players in the squad and to keep the other guys ticking over," explained Roosters football operations manager Steve Gigg.
"So when they have a break, they'll come back in mid-November for pre-season training and they'll know the basic calls of our club.
"It was just a matter of adjusting to our way of doing things and we were very pleased with it.
"It wasn't heavy, it wasn't as if they were getting flogged or a more normal football situation."
Gee admitted not all the players were keen to continue training after their season had ended.
"They would have probably preferred not to be there, but it kept them ticking over," he said.
"If we'd have stopped training straight away, it would have meant a 10-week break.
foxsports.com.au