TRYING SOMETHING DIFFERENT - BIZARRE PRE-SEASON STRATEGIES FROM AUSTRALIA'S SPORTING HISTORY
ADELAIDE CROWS - FIRE WALKING
Ahead of the 1992 AFL season, the Adelaide Crows thought walking on hot coals would be a great team bonding exercise. Crows youngster Nigel Smart was first up and promptly suffered third-degree burns on his feet which would rule him out until round seven of that season. No other players attempted the activity.
AUSTRALIAN CRICKET TEAM - BOOT CAMP
Australian coach John Buchanan thought a boot camp in the Sunshine Coast hinterland would be just the ticket to toughen up his charges ahead of the 2006-07 Ashes summer. Legspinners Shane Warne and Stuart MacGill - who was injured in the camp - were no fans of the gruelling survivalist exercise but Australia did go on to beat England 5-0 in the resulting Tests to reclaim the Ashes.
MANLY SEA EAGLES - CLIMBING A MOUNTAIN
Manly decided climbing to the top of Mt Kosciuszko would be a great idea ahead of their 2015 NRL campaign. A freak Snowy Mountains storm as the team attempted the trek however turned it into what Willie Mason described as "six hours of hell". A trainer had to be carried down while 10 players were treated for hypothermia-like symptoms. The Sea Eagles finished ninth in 2015 and missed finals.
NSW STATE OF ORIGIN - HORSE RIDING
Not quite pre-season but before the 1999 State of Origin series, NSW coach Wayne Pearce needed to get his Blues team to bond so decided to take the squad on a horse-riding activity. Everything went well until Robbie Kearns was thrown from one of the horses and suffered a broken collarbone. The Melbourne Storm forward missed the entire series as Queensland retained the shield following a drawn campaign.
ADELAIDE CROWS - MIND TRAINING CAMP
Aiming to shake off the disappointment of their 2017 AFL grand final loss to Richmond, Adelaide sent their players on a "mind training camp" in the Gold Coast bush. By June the club announced it had parted ways with camp organiser's Collective Mind amid reports of players being distressed by what they had to undertake during the camp. Adelaide finished 12th in 2018 and missed the finals.
