Article by Caitlin Arnold
For each of the three years that Terry Mudge has been at the helm of the St George Dragons Premier Division side, the team has jumped two spots on the ladder.
In 2013 they finished a respectable third, so going by Mudge’s track record, St George are set for a first placing this year.
However, according to the Senior Coach this is not the ultimate goal.
"We don’t view success as a ladder position. We view success as how we improve generally as a whole group and club…we view our success as can we play better than last year?"
While the ladder position may not be the driving focus at St George, their aim to improve on a club and individual level has led them to think outside the square when it comes to how they will approach the 2014 season.
Enlisting the help of two experts in nutrition and fitness – who are also St George players – Mudge expressed club desire to invest in all of their players in terms of performance and longevity, as opposed to pledging the money to recruit one or two individual stars.
"We invested heavily off field with some real key figures in strength and conditioning," he said.
"Tim Addison has been a stalwart at the club but he is also a leader in his industry in terms of physical and personal training, and in terms of strength and conditioning.
"Rueben Bajada, again he is a leader world wide in nutrition and body mass. He has written three or four books...nothing beats experience and knowledge."
Adhering to plans written specifically for each player, the Dragons are said to be looking strong at pre-season training with large numbers participating.
Mudge is impressed by the physical and mental evolution of his players, most of whom played Under 18’s at the club just three years ago, including excitable co-captains Alexander Wynn and David Lycakis, Bryce Addison and Ben Jones.
"They’ve come back a lot stronger, a lot fitter and a little bit more mature. When they first started they were 16 or 17, so now they’re young men. They’re not young boys."
St George will also debut some new players in 2014 including Karl Merson from the WAFL as well as Tom and Harrison Green from the Illawarra Lions.
"They are players that really suit the club. They add a lot of depth."
Mudge also notes the full-time return of Declan Donohue.
Having been injured on and off over the past 3 years, Mudge describes his healthy inclusion into the team as having the effect of a new boom recruit. Formerly listed at Carlton, Donohue is said to be the spiritual leader of the club and a positive addition to the 2014 squad.
St George have lost Blake Guthrie to the VFL and Nathan Kenny to Southport in the NEAFL, however Mudge feels that as a whole, the club has gained more than they have lost for the year ahead.
It is clear that the pre-season has been a busy period at the St George Dragons.
With their focus set on the overall development of their players, they also took part in ‘Camp Dragon’, a weekend retreat designed to bring together every level of the club with the aim of learning what each player or staff member hopes to gain out of their St George experience – apart from winning a premiership cup.
"If you want to take it to the next level – what do you want to do? The camp was about uniting everyone together as one, setting our goals…so that we can go forward.
"Success isn’t measured in premierships. Success is measured in everybody enjoying the journey. While you’re enjoying it, you’re going to try that little bit harder," Mudge passionately declares.
The camp which included video sittings, group discussions and training sessions, was viewed as a success by Senior Coach Mudge as it built on what they already knew was special about the club – camaraderie.
More recently, the team was visited by Sydney Swans premiership players Nick Smith and Rhyce Shaw, which was viewed as a great positive for the club and the AFL community in general.
While the players were taken through drills and discussions by Smith and Shaw, the coaching staff were also taken through its paces, a benefit to the club that Mudge suggests the Swans players should be commended for.
"You could see the love of the game that they had. They passed onto the boys some little secrets. They complimented us on how professional we were, on how good our skills were, which was good. In terms of the Swans going out of their way to do that, it’s wonderful."
The St George Dragons come up against defending champions Manly-Warringah Wolves at home in Round One on 29 March 2014 at 2:00pm.
Last Modified on 07/05/2014 16:03
