With under two months to go until the 2024 season kicks off, the Sydney Swans have returned for their first training session of the year.
The red and white held their second pre-season time trial on Monday morning (January 8) with 2023 Club Champion Errol Gulden claiming first place honours.
Gulden was followed closely by James Jordon, Corey Warner, Isaac Heeney and draftee Caiden Cleary rounding out the first five across the Centennial Park finish line.
“They were pretty good [on their return],” said Robert Inness, Head of Performance at the Sydney Swans of the players return in 2024.
“In terms of the 2km time trial, which we had straight off the bat and is pretty standard for clubs to do their testing on the first session back, we had sixteen guys run personal bests.”
“The way we should look at that, is a lot of the work the guys did pre-Christmas has set them up for good times today.
“Prior to Christmas, guys put in a really good block and reaped the benefits of not only that, but doing the work over the Christmas break.”
While not all members of the squad took part in the time trial (due to managed programs or availability), sixteen players recorded personal bests, including significant improvements by Gulden, Jordon, Heeney, Sam Wicks, Angus Sheldrick, Tom Papley, Will Green, Patrick Snell and Harry Arnold amongst many others.
Please note times are kept in-house.
The players will continue their pre-season training block, with preparations now ramping up ahead of their first official pre-season fixture.
“We have to fit a four-day break in the next two months, so we will build towards that,” Inness said of the next two month training block.
“But after the four-day break, it’s not long until games start. Right now, we will be trying to bridge the gap between games against opposition and what we have done previously.
“We will do bits of match simulation, there will obviously be some pretty big volumes of training to continue to build on the base we built pre-Christmas, but generally, we will continue to train with high intensity and set ourselves up with the work we have done so far to allow us to go whichever direction we want to go with training.”
The countdown to the 2024 season is well and truly on with under two months until Sydney open the season as part of the AFL's Opening Round, facing Melbourne on Thursday March 7 at the SCG.
Season 2024 also marks our 150th birthday, so ensure your place at our season opener and join in the celebrations next season by becoming a Sydney Swans Member today.
