WITH the NAB Cup over and round one 10 days away, the players will get this weekend off to freshen up after a long pre-season.

We started on October 18, but mentally and physically this past month has been one of the hardest periods of the year, requiring us to combine NAB Cup/Challenge matches and normal pre-season training.

So this week has been about recovery and a lighter program on the track.

This weekend the players can get away from the footy environment and come back ready to launch into round one, which is on the road against the Brisbane Lions.

We want the players to recharge their batteries and come back itching to get a win away from home.

It’s always tough to win interstate but it brings the team together when you win on the road.

As a coaching staff, we’ve reviewed last weekend’s game against Essendon with the players but now the focus is on Brisbane. The coaches also will get the weekend off, which is great, but we’ve still got to put in quite a few planning hours before then.

The team for the first round will still be missing some players.

In the past couple of weeks, we regained Trent Croad, Danny Jacobs and Ben Dixon and they’re starting to get some match fitness under their belt but they’re still a little bit underdone in terms of an ideal preparation. It’s good, though, to have them back and up and running before round one.

Unfortunately, Richie Vandenberg hurt himself on the weekend and we won’t have him in round one and Joel Smith is still coming back from minor knee surgery, so he’s still touch-and-go for the match in Brisbane, though we remain hopeful.

Campbell Brown and Shane Crawford are suspended for the opening round. It would have been great to have them available but you can only field the players you have at your disposal. We’re also glad the AFL Tribunal saw fit to throw out Luke Hodge’s case.

We will have a few young guys under consideration for round one, including Xavier Ellis and Beau Muston, who have both played the past few games in the pre-season. They have both done well during this period.

Brent Renouf will also come under consideration. He has done reasonably well when he has played for us and played a blinder for Box Hill last weekend.

So there will be a few young guys pushing for a spot in the round one team to take on the Lions.