The combination of a rigorous pre-season training regime, and Mark ‘Choco’ Williams’ arrival at Tigerland as development coach, is just the tonic to help rising Richmond star Brandon Ellis keep the dreaded “second-year blues” at bay.
“It (pre-season training) has been a lot harder than last year,” Ellis said on the first episode for 2013 of the Club’s official podcast, “Talking Tigers”.
“Last year, I did about 70-75% of pre-season. But this year I’ve done just about everything, plus two or three extra gym sessions a week to put on three or four kilos, because they want me playing at a heavier weight.
“When I got to the Club, I had to strip a few kilos off. So, I lost that and now I’m just gradually building some muscle . . .
“It’s been pretty tough, but I’m looking forward to the season starting.”
Ellis sang the praises of Williams, the 2004 premiership coach at Port Adelaide, whose main brief at Richmond is to knock the young players into shape.
“He is relentless, which gets the best out of us,” Ellis said.
“He’s got me, ‘Dusty’, Vlastuin, Conca, and a few other young boys in his group and he’s taught us a lot.
“Even the littlest things that you wouldn’t pick up on, he picks up on them.
“He goes into fine detail about everything. You just learn so much . . . he’s so interesting to listen to.
“He’s actually set us more projects in the last few months than we got set all last year. It’s just for our own learning and our own benefit.”
Ellis, who was Richmond’s first pick (No. 15 overall) in the 2011 AFL National Draft, displayed a maturity and professionalism far beyond his years in his debut season last year.
He missed just one game for the season, averaged 15.7 disposals per match, and received an AFL Rising Star nomination along the way.
Being the driven young man that he is, there’s no danger of him slackening off, regardless of whether or not Choco’s cracking the whip . . .
“I just want to get the best out of myself. I know that if I want to have a long career at the Richmond Football Club, I need to improve every year,” Ellis said.
“So, I’ll do whatever I can to improve and go ask whoever for information on how I can do this.
“And, I’ve got ‘Newy’ (Chris Newman) now as a little mentor because I’m going to the backline this year and he’s moved up to the midfield. So, with the experience he’s had there the last few years, he’ll just teach me that half-back role . . .”
“At the moment, I think half-back/wing really suits me because I can just run all day and use the ball. But hopefully I can eventually play right in the guts like Cotchin or Deledio.”
