Who needs four-month pre-seasons? Souths, Panthers happy to stay fresh

The captains of the two NRL grand final clubs know they are part of a “pilot test” when they kick-start their respective campaigns on the back of a seven-week preparation – more than half the training time completed by some of their rivals.

The late finish to last season and disruptions caused by COVID-19 means some Penrith and South Sydney players will start the season with as little as six weeks training.

But Panthers co-captain Isaah Yeo and Souths counterpart Cameron Murray say they will not be under-done come round one – both players did not feature in the trials – and they did not need the traditional four-month summer training slog.

In a boost for the Panthers and Rabbitohs on Thursday and Friday respectively, Nathan Cleary and Murray are expected to start for their clubs after undergoing the same shoulder surgeries last October.

While some clubs resumed training on November 2, Murray did not start until the middle of January. The club’s senior players returned a week before Christmas to attend Camp Latrell at his Taree property, only to be turned around a few hours later because Tom Burgess contracted COVID-19.

Murray was struck down by the virus over the Christmas break. Souths coach Jason Demetriou took it one step further and gave Murray 12 weeks off.

“Once I got over COVID, I probably didn’t start training until halfway through January,” Murray told the Herald.

South Sydney captain Cameron Murray did not commence training until the middle of January.Credit:Janie Barrett/Sydney Morning Herald

“It will be a good pilot test to see how we go. I’m hoping it’s good for us. I can’t speak on behalf of players involved in NRL pre-seasons before I started playing, but since I’ve debuted the intensity and physicality of the NRL has gone up every year. That’s coincided with the rules that have sped up the game, and kept the ball in play a little longer each week.

“Obviously the coaching staff have recognised it is more beneficial to give the players more rest than normal, so you come back a little fresher.”

The professionalism of modern-day players like Murray and Yeo means they keep themselves in good condition during the holiday months, and there is no need to shed weight or play catch-up with their fitness levels when they do return.

The Panthers were thumped by Parramatta in their final trial, but Yeo said it had nothing to do with the late, late start to pre-season.

Like Souths, there have been plenty of hurdles with players not being available.

Viliame Kikau contracted COVID while visiting his ill father in Fiji and did not resume training until the new year. Prop James Fisher-Harris went into the All Stars game on the back of three weeks training and then picked up the virus while in Maori camp.

Penrith co-captain Isaah Yeo.Credit:Janie Barrett/SMH

Yeo, who missed the Eels tune-up because of COVID, felt the premiers were on par if not in slightly better physical shape than last year. Penrith faced a similar shortened pre-season leading into the 2021 season after the grand final the previous year was played at the end of October.

“I would have personally preferred to get a trial in, but at the same time I’m glad I won’t be missing any regular season footy at the moment,” the co-captain said.

“Your first month of footy is always hard, regardless of whether you’ve been flogged or not. I’d like to think we’re not a slow-starting group and playing good footy come round one.”

As for Cleary starting against Manly on Thursday night, Yeo said: “He’s been asked a million times about his shoulder. He said all along if he ticked all the boxes and didn’t have any setbacks he’d be close for round one, and he hasn’t had any setbacks.”

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