Holland says Pies are way ahead of other teams
Posted by Brent DiamondSep 1. 2011 7:26 am
FORMER Collingwood player Brodie Holland believes his former club has a unique advantage over other clubs because of their continued use of altitude training and sending its players to camps in Arizona.
“I’ve been talking to a lot of people about altitude training of late and one the back of the success with the Collingwood footy club over the past year or so, people are asking the question,” he said.
“My thoughts are that if clubs aren’t doing it then they’re just going to fall further and further behind. The Collingwood Footy Club have gone to Arizona and have done for the last five years so you look at guys like (Scott) Pendlebury, (Dale) Thomas and those guys who have been doing altitude training for the last five or six years in a row and it has a compounding effect of them just getting fitter and fitter each year.”
“And they’re just getting further ahead of other players and other teams. Some of the clubs are doing it, I know from all reports that Carlton have got their own altitude room down there. But if a side like Richmond hasn’t done anything, then straight away alarm bells go off and there’s scope for improvement overnight,” he said.
Holland believes players are automatically enhanced by just living in Arizona.
“When I got back on the back of no running over there, I did my best ever running in a 2km time trial. Just living in that atmosphere and environment, you become fitter just living in it not necessarily training in it,” he said.
The 31-year-old is now back playing at Maribyrnong Park in the hope of being part of another EDFL flag.
Holland also revealed on Football Nation’s The F Word this week that he was approached by Collingwood recruiters about a possible comeback at the end of the 2009 season – just before the Pies opted to go with out of contract Saint Luke Ball.
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