Burton, who played 170 games for Adelaide over a 12-year career, has been at the helm of the Lions’ physical performance department since November 2010 and oversees all aspects of performance, including fitness, strength, conditioning, performance analysis, nutrition, and injury management.
Burton’s programs have been hailed by players and coaches alike, and the Club is already reaping the benefits as they enter their 2012 pre-season with only three players in the rehabilitation group.
Burton attributes the improved results to the players’ attitudes, professionalism and work rate.
“We pushed the guys really hard before Christmas, and they were up around 18 or 19 percent on their workload from last year, which is good,” Burton told 5AA’s Chris McDermott and David Wildy.
“They needed to go to that new standard. We certainly pushed them last year, but now that they’ve got a bit more resilience in their bodies, we are able to push a bit harder.”
“And that definitely comes along with preparing themselves in the off season, which they did really well this year. We’ve got a very professional group here.”
With one of the youngest playing lists in the league, Burton has a heavy focus on the development of young bodies to prepare them for the physical demands of being an elite AFL player.
Jared Polec and Patrick Karnezis, the Club’s top two draft picks from 2010, are among those who have increased their body weight significantly in their first 12 months at the Club.
Burton said that while it was important to build bigger bodies, the Club still very much had a football-specific training program.
“We certainly have got a bit more of an emphasis on leg power this year and with a young group you do need that to not only aid their conditioning program, but to keep up with the extra amount of stoppages and the physicality these days,” he said.
“But we don’t get too far away from the movements and patterns that you see on a footy field.”
The Lions recommenced pre-season training last Thursday.
