The Tigers turned to an unlikely source to find that "extra 10 per cent" as their pre-season camp in Cairns went underwater yesterday. Sunshine Coast adventurer Mark Visser, who has made a living surfing the biggest waves in the world, put the Richmond players through a pool session that pushed the limits of a group much more comfortable on the MCG turf. Visser has worked with specialised military personnel to help them stay alive in situations usually thought impossible. And he will star in a film that features him surfing Hawaii's Jaws at night and jumping out of planes over the ocean to find the largest swells on the planet. "This was the first AFL team I've worked and they've done really well," the surfer said. "They're pushing through limiting beliefs and areas where we doubt something is possible. That's the main purpose of the drill; when you think you can't keep going but you actually can." Tigers captain Trent Cotchin said Visser's guidance was inspirational and would directly benefit to their on-field performance. "There's always times in games where you are trying to suck in air, or find extra energy or effort. You need to know you can always push through," he said. Players had to stay underwater for various lengths of time - most improving as the session went on. "Probably knowing that you have that little bit more (was the resonating factor), no matter how buggered you feel," Cotchin said. "You get to that last 10 seconds knowing how though it's going to be, but you know you can push to a new level." The pool session at Sportsworld was run in conjunction with a crossfit workout that Cotchin said was much harder than normal due to the heat. And training at Cazalys on Tuesday was rated as one of their biggest tasks yet. "It was one of our biggest sessions; nearly two-and-a-half hours in the sun," the 22-year-old captain said. "It's good fun though, whilst challenging we know it's going to help us." It is his first real assignment as captain, but the midfielder said he wouldn't be changing much this season. "i think I got voted in because of the person I am. It's special, it's a massive responsibility and there's a lot of pressure, but a lot of excitement," he said. "We're in a fantastic position from previous years; it's time to go forward. The team will hold another open training session at Cazalys today from 9-10am.
Last Modified on 15/01/2013 09:11