HAWTHORN wingman Isaac Smith and Fremantle midfielder Tendai Mzungu have claimed bragging rights at their clubs by racing to time trial victories on Wednesday.
Smith retained his crown as the Hawks' endurance king when he held off a fierce challenge from young gun Billy Hartung in the 2.2km run.
Premiership ruckman Ben McEvoy enhanced his reputation as an elite runner by finishing third.
Smith and Hartung were neck-and-neck all the way, but it was the former who sprinted to victory around the final corner at Waverley.
“Billy and I ran together most of the way,” Smith told hawthornfc.com.au.
“He’s looking fit and I reckon he’s in for a pretty big year in 2015.”
Hartung smashed the NAB AFL Draft Combine's beep test record with a 16.6 effort in 2013 and the second-year player said he was keen to overtake Smith as the Hawks' time trial champion.
“It was a pretty good run from myself and Issie,” he said.
“There has been a little bit of banter leading up to this, even from last year’s runs because he’s only got me by a couple of seconds each time.
“I’m getting a little bit closer each time, so hopefully after Christmas I’ll be in front of him.”
Meanwhile, Mzungu broke away in the final lap to edge out his off-season training partner Matt de Boer in Freo's 3km time trial.
“He’s a great training partner,” Mzungu, 28, told the club's website.
“We push each other along. It’s great for him to run a personal best and be there at the end.”
Others to impress included dynamic onballer Stephen Hill, Tom Sheridan and Irish recruit Sean Hurley.