PRE-SEASON. It’s a word that has completely different meanings for rugby league players and fans.
For fans, it’s months of anticipation getting ready for the new season, but, for players, it’s months of hard work and mental and physical strength to get ready for February.
At the recent media day at Huddersfield Giants, League Express asked five players what the most difficult thing about pre-season is with Hugo Salabio, Adam Swift, Adam Clune and Chris Hill all present.
“It’s hard, I arrived one month ago and it’s a hard situation for me because it is my first pre-season,” Salabio said.
“When I was with the Catalans Dragons I was injured during pre-season so I haven’t actually had a full pr-season so it has been really hard on the body.”
Adam Swift went into more detail, explaining in depth the rigours on the body.
“The worst thing about pre-season is how sore your body can get if you’re not looking after yourself or if you’ve been flogged that day,” Swift said.
“The actual feeling of how it can make your body feel, run down, sore, aching, pull a muscle, your back goes. These are all things that pre-season can do to you because it’s a tough old ask. How sore you feel after a Friday session after being flogged Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
“If you can get through pre-season then it will stand you in good stead for the season.”
For Jake Connor, however, who has missed a number of pre-seasons in recent years, this one has been much needed.
“I haven’t had a pre-season in quite a while due to international breaks or because I have picked up injuries which has kept me out,” Connor said.
“But, I’m feeling good, it’s something that I have needed. Off the back of last year, I needed it, I wasn’t in great shape.”
For new signing Adam Clune, it’s the wrestling sessions during pre-season that he believes are the toughest.
“For me, because I’m small, probably the wrestle sessions as they are tough when you are only 80kgs wet through,” Clune joked.
“Having said that, it’s all part of it, you’ve got to bite down on the lead and set yourself up for a good year ahead.
“I’ve had a short pre-season over here but I’m not going to let that stand in the way of a successful season.
“But yeah, the wrestle for me is pretty tough with a smaller body.”
Meanwhile, Chris Hill emphasised the cold.
“I’d say the cold, wet and mud but we’ve got a new facility at Laund Hill with the 4g pitch which makes it a bit more enjoyable,” Hill joked.
“Pre-season is when you get to bond with everyone with the new lads coming in. I’ve not done a lot of pre-seasons in recent years with internationals and that but that’s where you learn and make connections.
“It’s hard work and the lads are going through it but it makes a bit easier doing it on a 4g pitch!”
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