AFL

Hot Summer Preparing Eagles Well

Monday 18th January 2010

Author: Frizz Ferguson

Photographer:

After running closed sessions in the lead up the Christmas, the West Coast Eagles have opened up their training again this week, kicking off with a Monday morning run on a scorching 40 degree day. The team were sweating it out with plenty of drinks, wet towels and fans at hand all in preparation for the coming season.

Eagles skipper Darren Glass said afterwards that it was a hard session, but training in the heat will prepare them for their first pre-season game against Essendon and beyond.

The club captain was pulled out of the last training drill as part of the player management system. He was moving well and has no injury concerns heading into February’s NAB cup.

“[It’s] not too far away so the conditions will be pretty hot. The first couple rounds of the season are usually pretty warm as well,” Glass said.

The club opted to close the train to the public leading up to holiday period in a bid to keep team focus. Glass said the moved has worked well with the team working hard to get ready for the first round.

“It’s been really good, really enjoyable. We’ve been going since November so it’s been a good long preseason and getting itchy to play some games,” he said.

With the Eagles aiming to play in the finals this year, a lot will fall on the club’s younger brigade with Glass saying fans are likely to see the youngersters, such as Brad Ebert and Chris Masten, beginning to shine in the coming season.

“They are ready to take the next step. I thought Masten had a terrific year last year, I think Ebert did as well. So you would expect some improvement out of those guys.

“You will get some improvement out of senior players as well. Hopefully, they will get some more games and some more consistent efforts,” he said.

The pre-season NAB cup games kcik off in less than a month, but Glass says club coach John Worsfold has told the team to concentrate on the major prize.

“They are still just practice games. Woosha’s philosophy has always been, get ready for round one.”

The club recently announced a change in the leadership group with Glass continuing into his third year as captain, but with a team of leaders behind him in Dean Cox, Beau Waters, Adam Selwood, Matt Priddis, Shannon Hurn and Josh Kennedy.

“The leadership structure is based around what the club thinks is best. They’ve gone with the structure that they think will support the captain and the group the best. We have got a lot of young guys developing and learning and that’s what they think is best,” Glass said about the changes.

While he thinks he still has a long future in his career and hopes the captaincy remains a part of it, but he would be ready to pass it on when the time is right.

“I just want to play good footy this year and the end can come pretty quick I think. Hopefully I’ve got a couple of good years left. I’ve always thought that I would like to pass the captaincy on before my career ends here, but we’ll have to wait and see,’ Glass said.

When asked who he thought could take over from his leadership role, the skipper could not choose.

“There is a number of guys in the leadership group that are certainly capable of stepping up and there’s also guys outside of the leadership group that are showing tremendous leadership skills. It’s a pretty impressive group at the moment.”

West Coast host Essendon for round one of the NAB Cup at Subiaco Oval on Feb 12.