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What does a full day of November training look like for Richmond’s youngsters?
On Thursday it started with a 90-minute training run at Punt Rd, beginning at about 10am.
“We had our main session with a bit of skills and conditioning,” boom youngster Noah Cumberland told the Herald Sun after they had clocked off at 3pm.
“After that we move into the club and have a bit of lunch and hit the showers and the ice baths. Then, after lunch, we move into a thing called fundamentals, which is a bit more craft and the basics – kicking and the technique side of things.
“We’ve got a new strengthening coach named Marcus (Krygger), which is always good to have a fresh face. He’s taking us through our strength program.”
Krygger has crossed from St Kilda to help tone the Tigers. So, who is pumping the biggest weights in the gym?
“Definitely not me, I did my AC joint so I’m sort of in rehab trying to get a little bit stronger,” Cumberland said.
“But you've got your likes of Jack Ross, who is always putting in the hard yards and getting everything out of it.
“Rhyan Mansell’s looking really good. All the young boys are stepping out and getting a lot stronger now and putting in a lot more work in the gym.”
Recruits Jacob Hopper and Tim Taranto have joined the young Tigers on the track.THE TIME-TRIALPre-season officially kicked off with a stopwatch on Monday. The 2km dash was a tough task.
“It was hard work, don’t get me wrong,” Cumberland, 21, said.
“It’s always hard and it’s always nerve-racking. I think a lot of the boys get more nervous for a time-trial than they do for their own game.
“I can second that as well, because I was absolutely s****ing myself. But we all ran well. Hugo Ralphsmith, Jack Ross and (Josh) Gibcus were all up there.”
Those four are arguably the early summer standouts, with fitness staff thrilled at the condition Cumberland, Gibcus, Ross and Ralphsmith returned in.
The word from the west is Marlion Pickett, who is training over in Perth on his break, is also in super nick.
Cumberland – in his third AFL pre-season – now knows this is the time to set up a super season.
“If you put in the hard yards early it makes everything a little bit easier,” he said.
“That’s what I’ve learnt, and that’s what I’ve done this year.
As for who won the time-trial? Ralphsmith, of course.
“He’s a natural athletic human being,” Cumberland said.
“He’s a really good runner, but he puts in the work as well.”
Hugo Ralphsmith is an elite runner. Picture: Michael KleinTHE RECRUITSTim Taranto and Jacob Hopper – each signed for the next seven seasons – have made a headstart to their Tiger contracts by joining the kids on the track.
It’s been welcomed.
“They've come down a few weeks early to show their faces and get around the young boys,” Cumberland said.
“You've got Taranto’s skills and his class and then you’ve got Hopper’s strength. They’re very competitive boys, which is something that we (base) our game on.
“They’ve got class. I’ve seen them train these last few days and their skills are another thing, but they’re even better blokes, so it’s good to have them on board.”
Ralphsmith described them as “two of the best blokes I've ever met”.
What about their tattoos?
“I see Taranto’s got a few bad stickers and I think Hopper wants to get a bit of ink, too, he was telling me, just to fit in,” Cumberland said.
They weren't the only ones to arrive early, with Toby Nankervis, Jayden Short, Ross and Robbie Tarant (who jogged laps) all spotted at Punt Rd.
Noah Cumberland is recovering from an AC joint injury. Picture: Michael KleinThe Tigers have played 13 finals in the past six seasons, and so it’s no surprise plenty of the decorated champions are still enjoying their time off.
And for anyone considering writing the Tigers off, it’s worth remembering they led in the last quarter of 21 of 23 games in 2022 before landing these GWS guns.
And the two games they didn’t, against Adelaide and Melbourne, they led halfway through the third term instead.
NEW VOICE
David Teague appeared to run Thursday‘s main training session and alongside him was Ben Rutten.
‘Truck’ is back at the Tigers, next to the ‘Teague train’ with both coaches landing at Richmond after their brutal sackings.
Rutten spent 2015-2018 at Punt Rd before crossing to Essendon and so while the kids on the track are fresh faces, there will be plenty of familiarity next season.
“I’ve had a few chats with him and he’s keen to get started. He’s going to take the backline this year and put in the work there and teach us things he knows, which will be handy,” Cumberland said.
“He’s got a lot to give.”
New assistant coach Kane Lambert has the players’ attention. Picture: Michael KleinFAMILIAR VOICEKane Lambert, the heart-and-soul Tiger who retired this year, is back as a development coach and was also on the track on Thursday.
The players are thrilled that Lambert has stayed. He is so easy to speak to.
“He’s an absolute ripper of a bloke, on and off the field,” Cumberland said.
“So it’s always good to have a bloke that’s really well connected around the club come through and teach us the ins and outs that he knows.
“I always have great confidence going to him to ask questions.”
MAN MOUNTAINTriple-premiership ruckman Toby Nankervis stands 199cm and weighs 102kg. Standing next to teammate Mate Colina at a tackling drill he looked small.
Colina, 23, is the AFL‘s tallest player. This bloke is listed at 213cm and 111kg, and lumbering around he made 2020 best-and-fairest winner Jayden Short look like an Auskicker.
That’s no slight on Short, who is, well, Short. That’s just what it’s like looking at Colina.
“I actually was walking in the hallway and ran into him. I literally had to lift my head up to say, ‘Geez, sorry mate’, Cumberland said.
“He’s a monster of a human, and a good bloke. He was in the gym today with us lifting the big weights.”
The Croatian is Noah Balta’s cousin and was playing college basketball in Hawaii before landing at Punt Rd.
Colina played seven VFL games last year and averaged fewer than five disposals. His kicking action needs refining, but there is a big ball of muscle for the Tigers to work with.
And if he breaks through for an AFL debut he will become the tallest player in AFL history, going – and growing – past 211cm rucks Mason Cox (Collingwood), Aaron Sandilands (Fremantle), Ned Reeves (Hawthorn) and Peter Street (Geelong and Western Bulldogs).
Former Essendon coach Ben Rutten and ex-Carlton coach David Teague. Picture: Michael Kleinhttps://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/afl-preseason-day-one-see-who-is-back-on-the-track-at-your-club/news-story/2390b18b099a4db8428f5273f10fac1f
