IT'S cold and it's dark and they've been belted by 103 goals in two games, once by 401 points.
But don't be fooled.
At North Sunshine, the Roadrunners are up and running - and a new recruit is behind it.
Richmond legend Matthew Richardson arrived last night 50 minutes early for training, but plenty of players still beat him there. They put the big fella in Saints colors he hasn't worn since the juniors.
He tells coach Pat Angeleno: "Mate, I'll just train with you. You just do the normal training, I'll run around. Have a bit of fun."
Normal training? You're kidding.
"Just man on man, hard at the footy," Richo tells the troops. "That's all I can tell you."
"Do you want a game? We need a full-forward?" a cheeky bloke chips across the huddle.
Then almost instantly, Dempster Reserve oval is alive. Players run like men possessed, scream for mates, lead hard and fast.
Richo joins in the drills, then takes a shot from near 50.
"Richo misses!" a Roadrunner cheers with delight.
President Mark Neicho can't stop smiling, watching the boys go hard at it 45 minutes early.
"Six o'clock's when they usually get here, then they sit around for half an hour talking crap," he says.
"I've never heard so much noise on the ground at training."
Under lights on the oval, Richo leads for a footy from full-back and a bloke kicks to him, two TV cameras taking it in.
The player shanks it. Worst kick of his life. It bounces about nine times before it dribbles to Richo.
The team needs the training, like they need a full-forward, like they need sponsors and, maybe, a miracle. They get a surpruse, at least, when training finishes more than an hour early.
It's been a good, sharp session and the sausages at the clubhouse are calling and the beer is cold.
The Roadrunners take on Wyndham Vale at home tomorrow, and the comeback starts there, they hope.
Players stand on the steps with an AFL giant, and if grins were goals, they are home already
Last Modified on 25/05/2010 11:50