Introduction
North Melbourne began its pre-season on October 25 at an altitude training camp in Utah, USA. The club placed a large emphasis on developing its young list's endurance running. On their return the Roos have aimed to consolidate those gains while working on their skill base. Fast end-to-end ball movement drills have been a feature of the training regime in the lead-up to the Christmas break.
Medical room
Seven players filled the rehabilitation group at the club's last open training session - Daniel Wells (blood clots), Sam Wright (infected foot), Majak Daw and Cam Richardson (both hip), and recent draftees Brad McKenzie (knee), Tom Curran (foot) and Malcolm Lynch (hip). Wright, Daw, McKenzie and Lynch are likely to resume full training shortly after Christmas while Wells, who can do all training sessions bar full contact work, remains on track for an early-season return. Richardson trained away from the main group and will continue to build towards full training ahead of the start of the season. Curran is still on crutches and looks the furthest away from a return.
Summer superstar
It's hard not to notice Nathan Grima at North's pre-season sessions. Now well and truly over the back injury that wrecked his 2011, Grima is consistently at the front of the running groups and his sure ball-handling and pin-point disposal are just as eye-catching. Daniel Wells, who has been restricted to light competitive work, has used the pre-season to build his running power. At the last session of the year he ran down the Kangaroos' middle-distance king Lachie Hansen in the last few strides of an 800m race involving the full list, underlining his gains. Of the younger brigade, Shaun Atley is wowing his teammates with his feats in the gym.
Draftee watch
Brad McKenzie and Tom Curran have settled into AFL life despite being in the club's rehabilitation group before Christmas. South Australian McKenzie is living with the same Oak Park family Ben Cunnington and Shaun Atley stayed with in their first years at the club. He slightly twisted his knee a few days out from the last session for the year and is only being rested as a precaution. He and Curran will now focus on developing their upper-body strength as they head towards their first season in the AFL.
Putting the feet up
Every player has been given a training program to follow over the Christmas period ahead of a return on January 4.
Membership
Legendary Australian rocker Tim Rogers supplies the voice-over for North Melbourne's 'Spirit one and all' membership advertising campaign. Traditionally one of the smaller membership bases, the Roos are at 16,335 members ahead of Christmas, almost 3000 more than at the same time last year and a record for the club. Significantly, North has already secured almost 1500 Tasmanian members, a good sign as they enter a three-year deal to play two-matches per season in Hobart.
NAB Cup schedule
Round one (Friday, February 17): v Hawthorn and Richmond, Etihad Stadium
Round two (Saturday, March 3: v Sydney Swans, Bruce Purser Oval
Round three (Sunday, March 11): v Western Bulldogs, North Ballarat
What they say
"Jack Ziebell seems to have gone to another level again and he's someone that seems to thrive on this sort of stuff. Cruize Garlett - I can't believe the transformation in his body from the end of last season to now. He's gone away and really looked after himself. He came to Utah earlier than we expected just to adapt. He's doing really well and his body shape has really changed. Levi (Greenwood) looks like he's also adapted a lot quicker." - Darren Crocker lists the stand-out performers at last month's pre-season camp in Utah.
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs
