“Be on the bus at Punt Road by 6pm on Friday.”
That, along with some clothing directions, were the only instructions given to Richmond AFLW players ahead of their inaugural preseason camp on the weekend.
Unknowingly to the squad, they were off to HMAS Cerberus, a Navy training base near Hastings for an intense three-day camp built around the values of teamwork, discipline and respect.
See the best photos taken by Ashlea Caygill below...
01/35 ::: Ciara Fitzgerald steps on the team bus at the Swinburne Centre. Fitzgerald was one of 11 draftees attending the pre-season camp and will be among 18 Tigers looking to make their AFLW debut in 2020.
02/35 ::: Sabrina Frederick
03/35 ::: Sarah Sansonetti sizes up her military camouflage pants on night one of the Camp. Players were told they would be put through a weekend training like navy cadets, drawing on the parallels between elite sport and the military.
04/35 ::: After working on the precision of the drill the night prior, players were woken up at 4.57am and given three minutes to be outside in two rows ready to start the day. The discipline will hold the Tigers in good stead for 2020 and beyond.
05/35 ::: (front row L-R) Iilish Ross, Sophie Molan, Grace Campbell and Hannah Burchell working hard in the early hours of the morning.
06/35 :::
07/35 ::: Navy Personal Training Instructor (PTI) Tamara Prins facilitated the weekend’s training regime in the same manner that she would for those training to join the Navy.
08/35 ::: (L-R) Nekaela Butler, Kodi Jacques, Gabby Seymour, Alice Edmonds, Ella Wood, Sarah Sansonetti and Lauren Tesoriero.
09/35 ::: Richmond officials and coaches during the 8am raising of the flag. The entire Richmond AFLW cohort stood for the ceremony on both days of the camp.
10/35 ::: Laura Bailey during the obstacle course.
11/35 ::: Gabby Seymour (middle) and Alana Woodward (right).
12/35 ::: Sarah Sansonetti, Ella Wood, Alice Edmonds and Kodi Jacques climb high.
13/35 ::: Phoebe Monahan (centre) was able to draw on her experience as a Sapper in the Australian Defence Force to help her teammates through the camp.
14/35 ::: Team work was a focal point for the entire camp.
15/35 :::
16/35 ::: Kate Dempsey
17/35 ::: Alana Woodward
18/35 ::: Laura Bailey
19/35 ::: Sabrina Frederick supports her teammates
20/35 ::: Players celebrate completing a challenging team activity.
21/35 ::: Laura McClelland
22/35 ::: Alice Edmonds and Alana Woodward
23/35 :::
24/35 ::: Kodi Jacques
25/35 ::: Katie Brennan and Sabrina Frederick
26/35 :::
27/35 ::: Alana Woodward, Emma Horne, Gabby Seymour and Cleo Saxon-Jones (front to back)
28/35 ::: Courtney Wakefield and Sophie Molan
29/35 ::: Laura McClelland and Katie Brennan
30/35 ::: Holly Whitford
31/35 ::: Cleo Saxon-Jones is carried through the ‘Mud Run’ by her teammates. The Tigers made sure that injured players did not miss out.
32/35 ::: The Tigers started their final day with another 5am workout.
33/35 ::: Christina Bernardi
34/35 ::: AFLW Tigers at the Shrine of Remembrance
35/35 :::
