The Brisbane Lions are no strangers to travelling given they’re generally on the road every second week during the season.
But this Friday night’s NAB Cup Grand Final presents some extra challenges, with the team set to travel interstate for the third successive week and being afforded only a six-day break between matches.
Since playing their first round of NAB Cup matches on the Gold Coast, the Lions will have jetted off to Wagga Wagga and Melbourne (twice) in the lead-up to their Round One clash against the Western Bulldogs (which is also being played in Melbourne).
These extra travel commitments have forced the Club’s Physical Performance department to pay particular attention to the team’s mid-week preparations.
“Obviously the three travels back-to-back is a little bit more difficult to handle,” Lions Strength and Conditioning Coach Matt Hass told LIONSTV as part of the regular Bupa Recovery Report.
“We monitor the boys really closely, looking at things like sleep duration, sleep quality and muscle soreness.”
“We need to monitor their load and make sure they pull-up right…especially on a six-day turnaround going into the Carlton match.”
There are also a couple of positives that the Club hopes will come out of playing consecutive matches in Melbourne.
Firstly, they once again get to familiarise themselves with Etihad Stadium – the same venue as their Round One match against the Bulldogs.
And secondly, it provides the Club’s loyal Melbourne-based members with another opportunity to see the team live in action – particularly considering the Lions were only scheduled five Victorian matches in 2013.
The players themselves will be afforded a few days’ rest upon returning to Brisbane on Saturday morning, before ramping up their preparations in readiness for Round One.
Lions manage triple travel
The Lions are travelling interstate for the third consecutive week