G’day Tiger Army. Day 2 done and dusted. A long and intense day of training in the Queensland heat and humidity.

We started with a meditation session with Emma Murray at 6.30am. The meditation was in two parts, where we firstly focussed on relaxation, and secondly focussed on the training day ahead and visualising performance and purpose. Emma was very generous with her time, and we had a chat afterwards regarding injury recovery and the mental management of the same, which was pertinent to some health blips I’ve had.

Following a breakfast, we went into a Pre-Training Meeting with the coaches, to discuss the plan for the session at the Southport Sharks Oval, the purpose of the drills proposed, and some aspects of game plan and structure that were to be worked across the lines. We also welcomed young Josh, the club competition winner who was spending the day with the team.

So off to Southport Sharks Oval, and the warm welcome from the Tiger Army who had gathered there in great numbers. It was great to see so many members of the Queensland Supporters Group in attendance. It seemed like only yesterday that we’d caught up with many Queensland based supporters one balmy September night last year! The players started with a PPP focus drill, then moved to fitness, core and leg strength drills, followed by ball skill drills, and outnumber handball drill, a defensive half transition drill, forward half defensive drill, and finally some match simulation. A busy morning! All these drills have names, but it was just too much for me to take in. Maintaining hydration is vital during these intense heat sessions. We had extra staff on water bottle duty, hydration powders and gels on hand, and the Pickle Juice to stop cramping. I thought Pickle Juice was a made up Brian Taylor thing, but it’s real.

Post Southport and a fan signing session, we headed back to the hotel for some pool rehabilitation and a well-earned lunch.

After a 50-minute break, we jumped in the buses to head to the Bond University High Performance Sport Institute for a three-session circuit of strength and conditioning, Richmond Man and general walking, together with some line meetings. For those that know the Gold Coast, the journey from Nerang to Robina is a good 20-minute drive. Our coaches decided to take push bikes and ride there. Very impressive! Emma Murray facilitated the Richmond Man session, which focussed on Plan A and Plan B thinking. I then sat in on a Forwards line meeting that discussed our Forward Line Defensive Structure, and reviewed footage from training yesterday morning.

Finally, we headed to a wrestling gymnasium for some “bouts”. Just to make sure the player conditioning was truly worked at the end of a huge day. There were some very tired squad members at evening dinner. A Richmond Man player only session was then held post dinner.

I trust you all enjoy the digital media coverage of the training session at Southport Oval. Another big day lies ahead!

Andrew is a proud 2020 Richmond Executive member – Click here to find out more about corporate and coterie experiences.