By Michael Whiting
It's not every day teenagers admit to their mistakes, but Gold Coast SUNS Luke Russell is not afraid to say he made one or two in his first AFL season.
None was a hanging offence, but the 19-year-old from Tasmania has already set about being more professional this pre-season in the hope of adding to his 11 senior appearances.
Russell has made big strides, starring at the club's two-week altitude training camp in Arizona and smashing his 2km time trial best on return.
The boy from Burnie admitted his professionalism away from the training paddock cost him dearly last pre-season, and it's a mistake he's not going to make again.
"I missed a bit of pre-season last year because I got sick and a bit run down. I didn't do the right things," he said.
"I think just adapting to the training load and just not doing the right things recovery-wise.
"I didn't really watch myself as much as I am this year, didn't really get the physio I should have, and I think I just got a bit run down, a bit sick. It was a minor little thing and I missed two or three weeks, but you can't afford to miss that."
The quick half forward said taking advantage of his days off by resting was the biggest change so far.
He has taken up guitar lessons and often plays alongside housemate David Swallow.
"I'm being more professional, making the right choices about what I'm going to do on my days off instead of getting up and going out all day," he said.
"Rest is massive in the pre-season. In my first pre-season I moved up here, moved out with a few boys and you always want to do something and I'm a social guy who likes to be around and do stuff, but I soon realised I couldn't do that and train at the same intensity."
He has completed every training session this pre-season and is hopeful of being picked for round one.
Russell played most of his first season in the forward line and had the distinction of snapping the match-winning goal against Port Adelaide in Gold Coast's first ever victory – a moment he humbly described as "lucky".
But the former under-18 Tasmanian captain wants to bump up the workload in 2012.
"I played a lot in the forward line last year but my last three games I got a run through the midfield more," he said.
"I've got to get stronger in the gym so I can compete with the younger guys in the club like Swallow and (Dion) Prestia and (Josh) Caddy, so that they can trust me more in there. That's what I'm trying to do."
