Eels Blogs

No surprises there that Hindy was identified as one of the most mentally strongest but looks like a media beat-up re Hayne being a "weaker link". He attended the camp but is still recovering from a leg infection so participation was restricted. Hayne is a confidence player so am hoping he doesn't read too much into that crap!

Article below:

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A no sleep, minimal food, 48-hour physical and mental marathon where players were tested to the limits of fatigue.

Try pulling tyres with a rope through a creek while submerged in water fully clothed, or dragging an army truck 10km after two days without sleep.

Or what about nominating individuals within the playing group you consider to be the weak links within the team - in front of your teammates.

The entire Parramatta playing squad and coaching staff were sworn to secrecy about the results of the Holsworthy Army base assessment, which took place 10 days before Christmas.

But when the Eels gathered for a team Christmas lunch at club chairman Roy Spagnolo's home the next day, it was the primary topic of conversation among board members and players.

The hardline military training camp is the form of pre-season character assessment preferred by master coach Wayne Bennett and Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy.

Both are experienced NRL campaigners who new Eels coach Stephen Kearney has worked alongside with at New Zealand and the Storm.

"We wanted to keep it pretty much hush-hush," Kearney said. "The big thing for us was it was an opportunity to get ourselves together before Christmas and work hard. Some of the exercises, the group had to really work together.

"Without a doubt we got what we wanted out of it. I thought the whole group was great."

Eels fullback Jarryd Hayne was identified as one of the weaker links in the team and he has a reputation for at times being a lazy trainer. Switched on, there is no questioning Hayne is one of the most naturally talented athletes in the NRL.

To be fair, the 2009 Dally M Medal winner is still recovering from a hamstring injury and had been in hospital in the lead-up to the camp.

Initially reluctant to go, the fullback participated and performed strongly at times. He was limited in parts due to his injury.

It was no surprise that Eels captain Nathan Hindmarsh emerged as one of the mentally strongest members of the alternative training regimen.

And North Queensland Cowboys recruit Carl Webb also showed plenty of heart.

"Nathan's been around a long time and I think people know by the way he conducts himself generally that he's going to be a standout in that type of situation," Kearney said.

Kearney and Parramatta's strength and conditioning coaches Hayden Knowles and Craig Catterick attended the camp purely from an observation perspective. They assessed how the players responded to a variety of testing circumstances.