So it has been no surprise to see the Tigers sweating it out, running laps around their Edge Hill base for the past three weeks, intent on putting a season of horror behind them.
Routinely thumped by more than 100 points, pulling their junior sides out of the competition and struggling to put a senior team of substance on the park, it was hard going at Watsons oval last season. There to witness it all as assistant coach was Drake, a proud former player at the club who has shrugged off the carnage and welcomed the challenge ahead of him.
"It was tough, we lost basically eight of our best players for all different reasons last season and couldn't recover," he said. Replacing Dace Arnfield in the top job, Drake has lured former Northern Territory Thunder livewire Patrick Heenan as an assistant coach and player. No stranger to tough contests - in 1996 Drake kicked 121 goals for Rosebury - Toorak Hawks in Tasmania's North West Football Association - the coach will preach a fitness first approach before they start talking tactics nect year.
"I love the club though, its a hardworking club and to move forward we need to be fir to give ourselves a chance," he said. "Fitness wins premierships and being fit will allow us to play an open, direct style where we can get the ball moving."
Article Courtesy of Murray Wenzel, The Cairns Post
Last Modified on 04/12/2015 17:27