Essendon's pre-season is underway with the Bombers focussing on fitness this summer after fading badly in the second half of the 2012 season and missing the finals.
Dustin Fletcher, Paddy Ryder and Scott Gumbleton during their 2km time trial. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun
ESSENDON ruckman Patrick Ryder has already found himself in the crosshairs of coach James Hird after the Bombers yesterday reported for time-trial duty.
Hird, desperate to arm his players with a greater aerobic base this pre-season, was left unimpressed by Ryder's performance at Princes Park.
The 24-year-old finished dead last in one 2km run, despite starting with the lead group in front of several teammates.
"You've got a lot of work to do," Hird told Ryder within earshot of onlookers.
Hird was half-joking, but his intent was clear, even going on to suggest that the pair should swap jobs.
Essendon training this morning. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun
One player who didn't need that message was Brent Stanton, who again proved the man to beat.
The endurance machine posted the best times in back-to-back 2km time-trials before declaring the Bombers were "on a mission" to make amends for their dramatic slide this year by returning to the finals.
Hit by a crippling injury list, Essendon lost eight of its last nine games to slip out of the top four, finishing 11th.
Stanton said there was a clear resolve among the players to turn things around next season as they kicked off their pre-season campaign this week.
"We were pretty disappointed in how we finished," Stanton said yesterday.
"We don't stand for that as a football club.
"We felt like we took a few fairly big steps this year, but it's now about maintaining that for 22 rounds rather than 15."
Essendon players hit the pavement this morning as pre-season begins. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun
Stanton's vow came as Hird revealed the Bombers would ditch their controversial weight-building blueprint in favour of a more running-oriented program.
"It's their third pre-season with us, so we can put a bit more work into them," Hird said.
"The game changes a little bit; we might go with a little bit more of an aerobic focus."
After starting pre-season training on Thursday, Stanton said he was hoping to set the foundations for a strong pre-season when he headed to Colorado today for a three-week altitude training camp.
The Bombers are sending 10 players, mostly midfielders and including recruit Brendon Goddard, to the camp.
They will assess if it is an option for the whole group next year.
"We've never done it before, so it's going to be a good experience," Stanton said.
"It is going to be a good trip to see what benefits that we do get out of it."
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