The on-baller moved to Cairns from Adelaide last year and swept aside disappointment of missing the final when awarded the Crathern Medal for AFL Cairns’ best and fairest.
Now the Cutter is back for another crack, elevated to vice-captain and midfield coach for his troubles.
And the enthusiastic all-round sportsman has been keeping very busy in the off-season to ensure he enters round one this Saturday night in good shape.
A healthy diet of running, weights and footy training is topped up by social cameos on tennis, basketball, squash and indoor cricket courts around the Far North.
But rather than just rock up in customary singlets and shorts, Ewer takes things one step further to get the most out of the occasion.
“I’ll wear a hoodie and beanie sometimes, just to sweat more and get the most out of it and feel better for it,” he said.
“The boys will have a dig at me about it, but that’s just something I’ve done.”
The 31-year-old says he is in just as good condition as when he played in the SANFL for South Adelaide and Jervois in the River Murray League when teams trained together almost every day.
“I don’t think it’s hit me yet (getting older), but this weather certainly helps,” Ewer said.
“I get home from work at about 11am, do my gym and then go for a run.”
That run could be 1km time trials or a longer session of up to 14km.
“You want to be able to do one km in three and a half minutes and I’ll aim for five minute k’s when I run long distances,” he said.
“I haven’t really got the pace, but I try and stay at that steady speed because I know on a weekend I’ll be covering 12 to 15km in the game,” he said.
A carb-heavy diet from Thursday until game day is his only real rule, while a weekly deep tissue massage helps deal with any soreness that may come out of the weekend’s game.
“My role’s changed from when I played in Adelaide, where I was in the forward line more, so I’ve probably put a bit of bulk on since then,” he said.
“I eat a lot of pasta, bread and rice Thursday through Saturday.”
He rates the AFL Cairns competition a good one, but says the onus is on players like himself to take it to the next level.
“I think it's run really well and it’s the clubs that need to lift; hopefully with a season under my belt and proving I could be a good recruit I can help raise the standard,” he said.
“I was happy with how I prepared last season but I want to get the whole club lifting in that regard this season and we have been doing things at training already and individually to make that happen.”
Souths have no easy entrance into the season, up against defending champions Port Douglas at the Crocs’ headquarters this Saturday night.
Article Courtesy of Murray Wenzel Cairns Post
Last Modified on 10/04/2015 14:52