Wolves Given Something To Chase

Illawarra Mercury

Saturday January 20, 2007

By PAUL ZALUNARDO

WOLLONGONG Wolves players will see something they are yet to witness this year when they tackle Sydney Olympic in tomorrow's opening round of the pre-season Johnny Warren Cup - a ball.

In the midst of a gruelling fitness campaign, Wolves coach John Turner is viewing the match as nothing more than a well organised training session.

He claims to have not even discussed team tactics with his players, instead using the past few weeks as an opportunity to get them physically equipped to play an expansive brand of football.

"Because of the system I play and the recovery runs they will need to make, they have to be super fit to be able to achieve that," Turner said.

"That is why most of my teams have struggled during the early parts of the season, it is because I am trying to get them to play a certain way and their bodies won't do it.

"Then all of a sudden they get fit enough and they are right."

Turner said his players would carry heavy legs into the meeting with Olympic, a club that has played Wollongong at state and national league level for more than 25 years.

"They are going to feel it, they will start off okay but their legs will feel like lead," he said.

"A couple of the boys are feeling the strain right now, and still will be on Sunday."

Wolves defender Ben Blake said the hard work the players were doing would benefit them in the long run.

"The pain is slowly getting less and less after each training session," he said. "The boys are fitter than I expected and things are getting good.

"But when we get the ball at our feet it might be a different story, it will be the first time on Sunday.

"We will peak at the right time, which is when the competition itself is on."

Wollongong's opening pre-season fixture was originally to be played at Jensen Park today but was moved to Marconi Stadium.

In a further change to the Johnny Warren Cup draw, Wollongong's second-round meeting with Sydney United will now be played at Cringila's Crehan Park.

© 2007 Illawarra Mercury

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