Good read from H/Sun

[Saint Mik]

ST KILDA has not gone as far as chaining Lenny Hayes to the boundary fence, but strong words from the fitness staff have had the same effect. Hayes, in many ways the flag-bearer for the Saints' high-intensity style, is rarely sighted on the training track early in the week.

"We've probably learnt to say, 'OK, for the first training session, we're not going to let you train'," St Kilda's strength and conditioning chief David Misson said yesterday.

Misson allows Hayes the pleasure of some stationary ball-work and a light jog, but that's it.

"To ask Lenny to take it easy during a training session, it's against the grain a bit with him - every time he steps out, he gives you 110 per cent," Misson said.

"But it's too much of a risk on our part to let him out there.

"Lenny is a really good example. He just leaves nothing out there on game day, so he's just ticking over during the week."

Related LinksSaints' man: All quiet on the Westaway front
Flying start: List tells story for Saints
Hayes has plenty of teammates following the "go hard, then freshen up" theory.

Filling space, tackling and applying relentless pressure is leaving the players spent, but the Saints are comfortable easing off during the week.

Former St Kilda star Austinn Jones alluded to Misson's mission in his role as ABC radio commentator last weekend.

"It's definitely a high-intensity game. I speak to the players and they're not doing a lot during the week," Jones said.

"They're obviously getting their reward with the workrate they are putting out in a game - it gives them the opportunity to freshen up and get their minds right to prepare for the next game.

"Perhaps the workrate in their legs isn't what 12 or 13 other clubs are doing."

GPS data, gleaned in two visits to AAMI Stadium, confirms the Saints players are extracting significantly more from their bodies this year.

"There is no doubt, based on the GPS work we have done, that they are working harder during games," Misson said.

"What it showed was that top-end running and the ability to repeat that top-end running."

Although the roof at Etihad Stadium renders GPS equipment useless, Misson has seen enough to know that the intensity has gone to new levels.

"Because we are working really hard during games, the guys need to be fresh going into games," he said. "I think you're better off being a little bit underdone going into a game rather than overdone.

"The days of having big sessions during the week to improve fitness, I think, are gone.

"The coach (Ross Lyon) is obviously doing what he needs to do in regards to structures and game plan, but there is a bit of a de-emphasis on volume during the week.

"We are doing a bit more in the weights room and off-legs conditioning, which doesn't tax the legs.

"What it is about is knowing where your players are at day to day . . . monitoring muscle soreness and health."

Misson has overseen two pre-seasons at the Saints after seven years at Sydney, where he turned the Swans into the most durable team in the competition.

For the second pre-season, heading into this year, there was a rejig to suit Lyon's tinkering with the team's game style.

"We set Hawthorn and Geelong as benchmarks and through the pre-season, the aim was to train like we wanted to play," Misson said.

"We did a lot of monitoring, investigation and research into how we wanted to train. It was a strong focus and a simple one.

"As Robert Harvey always said, 'You're going to play how you train'.

"We had three weeks less this pre-season than last because we made a prelim final.

"We just felt we really needed to be spot on. We probably did a bit less base-volume work with our running and got into the skills stuff a little bit sooner."

Misson said the Saints' zoning style was a little less taxing from a running standpoint, given players, at times, are filling space.

But he said the effort put into tackling and harassing, which the Saints have taken to a new level this year, can take a heavy toll.

"At the end of the day, it is contested footy that is still going to win you games so the emphasis there is on your tackling and pressure skills," he said.

"That obviously takes more out of you than most things you do on game day."

St Kilda's fitness resources have come a long way since the days of the "training services" crew. The new board has delivered on its pledge to beef up the football department, including the sports science area.

The investment to resurface Moorabbin has also been a major factor.

"It's made a big difference, where we can walk out on to a pristine playing surface," Misson said.

"Even compared to Sydney it is great. We were struggling with ground hardness at the SCG and with a cricket pitch in the middle.

"This is fantastic."

Dare we say it, touch wood, the soft-tissue curse at Moorabbin also appears to be over.

[gooner]

"To ask Lenny to take it easy during a training session, it's against the grain a bit with him - every time he steps out, he gives you 110 per cent," Misson said.

Remind you of anyone? A well regarded Carlton assistant perhaps?

[plugger66]

"To ask Lenny to take it easy during a training session, it's against the grain a bit with him - every time he steps out, he gives you 110 per cent," Misson said.

Remind you of anyone? A well regarded Carlton assistant perhaps?

Bradley?

[saintsRrising]

St Kilda's fitness resources have come a long way since the days of the "training services" crew. The new board has delivered on its pledge to beef up the football department, including the sports science area.

While I am sure spend is higher...Misson, the new club Doc...and the Physio we pinched from Melbourne Victory were all actually appointments of the previous Board.

[saintsRrising]

"To ask Lenny to take it easy during a training session, it's against the grain a bit with him - every time he steps out, he gives you 110 per cent," Misson said.

Remind you of anyone? A well regarded Carlton assistant perhaps?

Yes Harvey may well have "inspired" Lenny as Banger was a well known serial over-trainer.

[Loyal]

how about them plastic pills that WBD swallow. WOW that worked .. they know how to play the game...........

[Cairnsman]

how about them plastic pills that WBD swallow. WOW that worked .. they know how to play the game...........

Loyal you have to be one of the most random thinkers going around. ADD me thinks.

[Sainter_4_life]

How does the roof at Etihad Stadium render the GPS systems useless

Isnt that like saying the GPS in your car is useless because the car has a roof ?

[snoopygirl]

They showed footage on Before the Bounce last night of Essendon using them last weekend. Said they were worth $3.5k each. Perhaps we've only got the basic version?

[The Bluff]

How does the roof at Etihad Stadium render the GPS systems useless

Isnt that like saying the GPS in your car is useless because the car has a roof ?

I think the concrete roof might be a little thicker than your car roof

[No1_Saint]

How does the roof at Etihad Stadium render the GPS systems useless

Isnt that like saying the GPS in your car is useless because the car has a roof ?

I think the concrete roof might be a little thicker than your car roof

Concrete? Are you talking about the metal roof?

[saint3d]

How does the roof at Etihad Stadium render the GPS systems useless

Isnt that like saying the GPS in your car is useless because the car has a roof ?

It would be, if your car also had no windows.

[wasoncestkil58]

A GPS for a car normally only works when mounted on the windscreen. Would imagine that the same principal applies for gps on players. They need to collect a signal from at least 3 satellites to map out the exact position. A car GPS will not work under a metal roof.

[saint66au]

Just back to the OP

Greg Westaways comment that our membership (under 30000) was "tracking very encouragingly" was pretty silly I think

You dont need to be a harcore rabid fan like most of us to know that our Membership is down significantly from last year..one of only 2-3 Clubs to be that way..even though we are 6-0. That, IMHO, is not "tracking very encouragingly"

[saintbrat]

for those wanting the link to the story

here
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/ ... 42,00.html

and the randomness of responses shows that people have also read the two associated articles

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/ ... 42,00.html
List tells story for Saints
Jon Anderson | May 09, 2009 12:00am

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.........
While the list of strugglers tells the story for North, the top improvers tell a lot about St Kilda.

Sam Gilbert, Farren Ray and Jarryn Geary - all in the top 15 - are all the beneficiaries of outstanding pre-seasons, according to St Kilda football manager Greg Hutchison.

"But those three players were all coming from different backgrounds," he said.

"We tried (Gilbert) as a forward in the NAB Cup and maybe that experience helped him in defence, where he is better suited.

"Jarryn Geary was a player at the crossroads after playing at VFL level for most of the second half of last year. In the NAB Cup he had a really good half where he just attacked the footy and that seems to have helped to turn his football around.

"Farren Ray is different in that he has come from another club and, as often happens, has relished the opportunity to get a fresh chance.

"Players who change clubs normally do well if they have talent, and we all knew Farren could play."


and one on Greg W
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/ ... 42,00.html
All quiet on the Westaway front -Damian Barrett |

There were two more statements made in his interview with the Herald Sun that will delights Saints fans.

One, that Nick Riewoldt would, by the time the Gold Coast formalised an expected offer to join the club, "wouldn't want to go anywhere".

"We are very confident of keeping him. He is the captain, we have a winning culture at the moment, who wouldn't want to be at St Kilda now?" Westaway said.

And two: "If anything, he (Michael Nettlefold, the Saints' new chief executive) may even be a fraction better than Archie (Fraser, who left for a senior executive post with Soccer Australia).

"Archie was very good at what he did, so don't leave the word fraction out of that, will you!"

[evertonfc]

Just back to the OP

Greg Westaways comment that our membership (under 30000) was "tracking very encouragingly" was pretty silly I think

You dont need to be a harcore rabid fan like most of us to know that our Membership is down significantly from last year..one of only 2-3 Clubs to be that way..even though we are 6-0. That, IMHO, is not "tracking very encouragingly"

Agree 100%

It's pretty rare to get a free kick in the press - you'd have thought Westaway would have issued a rallying call, wouldn't you?

Hawthorn have clocked 40,000 members this year. We haven't picked up 30k and we're "tracking" well?

Come on. Insert ambition here.

[stinger]

Just back to the OP

Greg Westaways comment that our membership (under 30000) was "tracking very encouragingly" was pretty silly I think

You dont need to be a harcore rabid fan like most of us to know that our Membership is down significantly from last year..one of only 2-3 Clubs to be that way..even though we are 6-0. That, IMHO, is not "tracking very encouragingly"

Agree 100%

It's pretty rare to get a free kick in the press - you'd have thought Westaway would have issued a rallying call, wouldn't you?

Hawthorn have clocked 40,000 members this year. We haven't picked up 30k and we're "tracking" well?

Come on. Insert ambition here.

the draw hasn't helped our membership drive....