10 Jan 2021

An insight into club's pre-season so far

We caught up with Strength and Conditioning coach Miles Greenwood to discuss pre-season so far

Strength and Conditioning coach Miles Greenwood has praised the player's attitude as the squad started preparations for a big year ahead, which include's the club's 150th anniversary in 2021.

Pre-season began earlier in November 2020 at the facilities of partners Hopwood Hall College, with the hope of games returning in 2021.

New faces such as Fuifui Moimoi, Rob Fairclough and Josh Jordan-Roberts linked up with their new teammates for the first time, while Gavin Bennion, Joe Taira and Danny Yates all returned to the club.

"Originally, we had quite a bit of time. We started pre-season in November, and the plan was to ease the lads back in," said Greewnood.

"You have to slowly build it up, so myself Matt (Calland) and Faz (Craig Farrimond) got together beforehand and said we’ll get them in and build a bit of a base then we’re going to go for it in January. 

"Obviously with his lockdown everything has changed now. We had a good period in November and December. We had some really good sessions. All the lads are in their bubbles, so we kind of tapped into the competitiveness element of the bubbles and doing some competitions with bubbles against each other. We’ve tried to do a lot of off-feet stuff so you’re not running and putting pressure on the joints because all that will come later in the year. 

"All the lads bought into it and it was really good, it was flying. The lads came back in really good shape. There’s one or two we’ll have to work with, but generally speaking the lads came back in really good shape and even more so the attitude was all bang on, so it was good."

Earlier this month, The RFL advised clubs in Betfred Championship and League 1 to pause their pre-season training programmes for the next two weeks, in recognition of the national crisis, and with more than seven weeks until the scheduled start of the 2021 season.

However, Greenwood confirmed that the players will be doing what they can from home in a hope to return to pre-season in the not-too-distant future.

"The lads are doing some home programmes and are staying active," said Greenwood. 

"I’ve sent out a few messages to a couple individuals in regards to diet because what we don’t want to do is starting from scratch when we come back. We still want to be where we can in a fit shape and have something to build on. 

"We are very limited for what we can do. Not many lads have home gyms, so the lads are doing what they can do. Some running sessions and like as I say, making a focus on dieting so when they do come back those who have the tendency to come back a little over weight might be in a bit better shape. 

"There’s a great range of players; old, young and in the middle and the link with Hopwood Hall College is fantastic. Matt has given the opportunity to some of the lads coming through the academy and they’ve grabbed it with both hands. They’re showing a great attitude and don’t look out of place.

"The new lads that have come in have been great and the returners have also been good. Everyone was raring to go. The attitude in training, the atmosphere in the gym was really good. I’m hoping we can pick up where we left off."

Please note that the featured image was taken in 2020, pre-Covid.

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