BY TRAVIS HANEY
I wanted to take a moment to share the success and impact of this year’s Rookie Rise Program. Over the past 3-4 years, our involvement with these young athletes has been limited to six-week training blocks, primarily focused on technique workshops. This year, we made a significant commitment to their development, spending 12 weeks training them three days a week, with the goal of better preparing them for the future.
While our primary focus was not on preparing for CAS testing, we utilized it as a benchmark to see how our athletes compare to those in the eastern states. In previous years, when testing the CAS boys at the beginning of training, their results would be submitted to the eastern states as part of their official records. Unfortunately, this often led to extremely low numbers, with most athletes scoring in the “poor” category.
This year, however, we saw significant improvements:
- Back Squat: 5 boys tested in the “Average” category, with 1 achieving “Good.”
- Bench Press: 3 boys tested in the “Average” category, with 1 achieving “Good.”
- Pull-Ups: 12 boys could complete at least 4 pull-ups, with 6 of those managing 10 pull-ups.
Importantly, the goal of Rookie Rise was not to train specifically for testing but to establish a solid foundation in strength training for WA athletes. The first six weeks were spent stripping weight off the bar to correct poor habits. When we initially started, most of the boys struggled to squat to depth, with many lifting their heels off the ground due to poor ankle mobility. Additionally, bar placement on their backs was too high, limiting their range of motion.
Fast forward 12 weeks, and every single athlete now squats more than 85kg with proper depth and form. This transformation highlights the effectiveness of our approach and the importance of structured strength training.
Some amazing results from the athletes are listed below –
- Back Squat Max – 150kgs – Thomas Sinclair
- Bench Press Max – 130kgs – Taniela Te Rauna
- Pull Ups Max – 23 – Lincoln Williams
- Seated Military Press – 70kgs – TiakiTutengaehe “Formby” Turner
- Wall Sit – 8 minutes 1 second – Thomas Sinclair
Beyond physical improvements, these athletes have gained key training insights:
- Injuries occur at full range of motion under maximum load, so we must train full range at all times.
- Since rugby league is a high-contact sport, back strength is essential for running into contact.
- Ankle stiffness is directly related to speed.
- Training to failure is essential for progress.
I am incredibly proud of the progress made in this year’s Rookie Rise Program, and I strongly believe this approach is essential for the continued development of WA’s young rugby league players.
