SAM MITCHELL picked an ideal session to miss as his Hawthorn teammates sweltered through a gruelling pre-season training session on Wednesday.
Even an 8.30am start didn't help the Hawks beat the heat as the mercury climbed towards 41 degrees in Melbourne – conditions that must have seemed a world away from home in Northern Ireland for new flame-haired rookie Conor Glass.
There was no thought of the players taking it easy either, with the squad pushed through more than two hours of almost non-stop running and drills refining their ball movement at Waverley.
Mitchell, who was away on a coaching course, was a notable absentee but most of Hawthorn's biggest names – including Luke Hodge, Jarryd Roughead, Cyril Rioli and Jordan Lewis – slogged out the session.
Reigning club champion Josh Gibson, 33-year-old Shaun Burgoyne and Liam Shiels trained separately from the main group, but ran long distances around the boundary, and Gibson also thumped out vigorous boxing exercises.
Chasing a record-equalling four consecutive flags, the Hawks are in the envious position of having most of their list healthy leading into the NAB Challenge next month.
However, injury-plagued key defender Matt Spangher, midfielder Will Langford and new rookie Luke Surman were on light duties.
Spangher only took part in handball drills before heading indoors, Langford boxed in between consultations with support staff and Surman rode the stationary bike as he manages a back issue.
Brendan Whitecross and James Frawley were in full training after off-season shoulder surgery, while Alex Woodward looked fit striding out around the boundary as he works his way back from a third knee reconstruction last July.
Grand Final hard-luck story Billy Hartung looked especially sharp during match simulation, continuing his standout pre-season, which included dethroning perennial champ Isaac Smith in the pre-Christmas time-trial.
It's hot in Melbourne, but the Hawks still needed a warm up at training. Picture: AFL Media
Irish category B rookie Glass found his feet playing across half-back in full-ground drills and kicked cleanly off both sides of his body, while also showing his Gaelic background flipping the Sherrin off the ground.
The 18-year-old is a long-term project player for the Hawks, much like New Zealand key position prospects Shem Tatupu and Kurt Heatherley, who is set to compete with Spangher and Kaiden Brand for retired full-back Brian Lake's spot for round one.
Despite the success of recent seasons, the competition for spots and the drive among the more experienced campaigners was still evident on Wednesday.
Hodge was typically demanding of his teammates, while emerging leaders Ben Stratton and Smith were among the most vocal in the trying conditions.
In an ominous warning, Smith said the Hawks were confident of improving next season as their depth players pushed even harder for senior spots after developing in the VFL.
"I think, as all the AFL world has seen, Box Hill are a very good side … we've got a lot of young guys who have probably got 40 or 50 games into them there and a lot of them have potential," Smith said.
"Then you've got guys like Billy Hartung and 'Howey' (Daniel Howe) and a few other guys that have played regular senior games.
"There's a lot of room for improvement, not just in those guys, but in the guys that have been playing. Hopefully we can just step up and perform again."
