Swans players fronted up to Sydney’s Lakeside Oval this morning for one final training session before the well-earned Christmas break.

The session started with a 1 kilometre time-trial, and rather than canter to the holidays, the players went out hard and many recorded, or got close to, their personal bests over the distance. A short skills session followed, before wrapping up the first part of pre-season with full-ground drills.

For a welcome change the sun was shining for the whole session, and key tall Lewis Roberts-Thomson said he was pleased with how the playing group rounded out 2011.

“It was a bit of a step-up,” Roberts-Thomson told SwansTV this morning. “We had the 1k time-trial to get the ball rolling and quite a few of the boys ran PBs or close to their PBs, so no doubt that’s due to all the hard work they’ve put in.”

“Pre-season’s a really tough time of year, but it’s a time you can really work on areas that you need to.”

Towards the end of today’s time-trial the final groups racing towards the line were cheered on by those who had set off earlier and had already finished. Roberts-Thomson said everyone’s support for their fellow teammates was indicative of the close bond between the playing group.

“That’s one of the really big things we pride ourselves on, and that’s the unity within the side,” Roberts-Thomson said.

“With the young guys coming through and running really good times, taking on a lot of responsibility, and pushing through the pain barrier, it’s important to give them a fair bit of encouragement.

“That’s the great thing about this footy club - everyone’s really close and we’re all good mates.”   

After battling injuries for 12 months and coming off a restricted pre-season leading into last season, Roberts-Thomson fought his way back into the senior side to play 15 of the last 18 games of 2011, including both finals.

The 28-year old is in full training with the main group and has welcomed the increased emphasis on skill work this pre-season, as well as the usual running.

“That’s what you play the game for, to kick the footies around, kick goals, and have fun with your mates,” he said.

“When the footies are out early, while it’s hard work, you don’t have to focus too much on the running.”

Like the rest of the Swans group, Roberts-Thomson will be on holidays until early January, before getting stuck into the second half of pre-season and the unknown of the 2012 season, a prospect he is excited by.

“I’m looking forward to a fresh start. We were relatively successful last year (2011), played a few finals, and I’m hoping in 2012 that we build on the form we had at the back end of last year,” he said.