\n Archie Roberts has described the Bombers’ pre-season as “gruelling” after they brought in a new fitness team\n <\/p>\n
Essendon players in action at pre-season training on November 10, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos<\/p>\n
ESSENDON’S new fitness department has targeted having the Bombers primed to perform when games are at their toughest.<\/p>\n
Freshly installed fitness boss Mathew Inness has made an immediate impact at Tullamarine since Essendon players arrived back for pre-season training in November.<\/p>\n
Mat Inness speaks to Essendon players at training on November 10, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos<\/p>\n
After years of lengthy injury lists and under-performing, Essendon is desperate to have more players available and stay competitive for longer in seasons.<\/p>\n
Young gun Archie Roberts, who finished second in the Bombers’ best-and-fairest this year, has already noticed the changes.<\/p>\n
Players have been running at high intensity for seven-minute periods, without water, to prepare them for tough periods in matches when they can’t come off the field.<\/p>\n
“The new fitness team have come in with a set of structure that’s new to us, and we’re very excited,” he said after completing a training session in warm weather on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
“We’re loving the structure of the trainings; a lot more high speed, a lot more gruelling sessions.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“We know it’s setting us up for the season (in 2026).<\/p>\n
“(We’re focusing on) probably the hardest seven minutes of the game and just being better than anyone else at that – when the game’s at its toughest, being the fastest, being the hardest-working.”<\/p>\n
Archie Roberts runs the 2km time trail during Essendon’s pre-season training session at the NEC Hangar on November 10, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos<\/p>\n