2 July 2024
The Bombers dove into training with Navy as Essendon Football Club’s AFL Women’s team conducted a maritime-style, pre-season training camp at HMAS Cerberus.
From June 21-23, physical training instructors and instructors from the Royal Australian Navy School of Survivability and Ship Safety put players from the Melbourne-based footy club through their paces.
The tailored program fostered resilience, trust and teamwork among players, in the lead-up to the 2024 AFLW season.
Commanding Officer Cerberus Captain Ben Favelle said the players were tested against Defence values.
“Cerberus is like one big pre-season camp. Our sailors prepare here, completing their recruit and trade training before going on to join their ships,” Captain Favelle said.
“We know that on-pitch success only comes from off-pitch work.
“The Essendon players will be tested in their teamwork and resilience, and will only succeed if they can demonstrate the values of courage, integrity and excellence.
“Service is our first Defence value, and we can already see that on display among the Essendon players.”
On the first day, players conducted the Navy swim test; damage-control exercises, including a smoke walk, firefighting drills and an abandon ship exercise; before tackling Cerberus’ high-ropes course.
On day two, players were handballed into a range of physical and mental team-building exercises with ADF physical training instructors.
Warrant Officer Class 2 James Debono, physical training instructor manager and camp organiser, spoke of the parallels between the military and professional sports.
“We share in the development of attributes like perseverance, teamwork, communication, leadership and elite performance,” he said.
“These attributes are key aspects of both service and football life, and the support of our families at home means that we can perform to our best, both on the pitch and at sea on operations.”
Essendon 2023 AFLW co-captain Bonnie Toogood said the camp brought the team together.
“It has been fantastic to come to Cerberus and use these elite facilities to hone our teamwork and communication,” Ms Toogood said.
“We’ve not done anything quite like this, but putting ourselves so far out of our comfort zone will forge a deeper connection, which will help us at game time.”
Fellow player Maddison Gay said the camp was fun and a real team effort.
“Some of the girls were quite scared of heights, jumping off the nearly 5-metre drop into the water to abandon ship, but we all came together to get each other through it,” Ms Gay said.
“You have to come together to get through the season. It’s not something you can do by yourself, and teamwork is important for the Navy too, coming together with the Defence Force to achieve goals for Australia.”
The team have about eight weeks of pre-season training left before the commencement of the 2024 NAB AFLW season in the final week of August.
