[Rugby] NRL Player's Lift stats and strenth info thread

I will post any articles and strength training info with regards to rugby league in this thread.

NRL players show brute strength and power in preseason gym sessions
By Tyson Otto
February 15, 2010


During the summer months, the stars of the NRL are pumping plenty of iron. Between them there is enough grunt to lift a three-tonne army jeep. But who is the strongest?

Building power is the most important part of pre-season training and strength and conditioning coaches have traditionally guarded their secrets better than the CIA.

Because of the different training programs, it is impossible to name the definitive NRL strong man, but we can reveal the strongest player pound-for-pound at all 16 clubs.

Manly halfback Kieran Foran was the biggest surprise, with the 88kg Kiwi teenager able to bench-press a whopping 170kg - almost twice his body weight.

Foran has bulked up 2kg this pre-season and has a clear claim to the title of rugby league's strongest pound-for-pound player.

But it is the biggest men, such as Foran's teammate George Rose, who throw around mind-boggling weights.

Rose bench-presses the NRL record of 180kg, but he has strong competition from Canterbury-Bankstown second-rower Micky Paea, Sydney Roosters youngster Martin Kennedy and Warriors forward Jacob Lillyman.

But strength and conditioning coaches agree there's no point looking like Tarzan if you play like Jane.

Bulldogs high-performance manager Harry Harris said gym performance was not as vital on the field as courage, determination and skill.

Manly powerhouse Anthony Watmough may not be as strong as Rose, but the Kangaroos representative uses his power on the field better than anyone.

Watmough made 138 tackle busts and 15 line-breaks in 2009 - more than any forward.

South Sydney Rabbitohs' star gym junkie Eddy Pettybourne made nine line-breaks in 2009 - the eighth highest for a forward.

Canberra Raiders giant Tom Learoyd-Lahrs and Rose also used their strength to devastating effect in 2009, with both averaging nearly nine metres per hit-up.

Gold Coast Titans speedster Esi Tonga made most of his line-breaks with speed and agility, but he still managed to produced the biggest lift recorded by strength and conditioning coaches this pre-season - a 230kg modified squat.

Incredibly, the 100kg Tongan international is able to squat heavier loads than Cronulla Sharks powerhouse Luke Douglas and Learoyd-Lahrs, who both squat a bar-bending 220kg.

One of the most impressive performances of the off-season has come from Pentrith Panthers' 20-year-old NRL rookie Sam McKendry, who has dropped 12kg since October while maintaining a 220kg deadlift for four repetitions.

Panthers strength and conditioning coach Carl Jennings said McKendry's focus on power, not size, was the key to his improvement on the field.

"Size isn't important anymore -- it's all about power, strength and speed," Jennings said.

"We've had a lot of our bigger guys trim down because their size wasn't boosting their performance.

"The game's heading in a direction where the really big forwards won't be able to match it with the really strong and powerful forwards."

Harris said no trainer would give up information on their star power-lifters for fear of putting pressure on them to perform during matches.

"I'm not worried about comparing their performance to other clubs, I'm just worried that people will think Micky's unstoppable and he's underperforming or something," Harris said.

The Bulldogs said it was virtually impossible to select one player as the strongest, with Ben Hannant, Michael Ennis and Brett Kimmorley stronger in some areas.

The NRL's strongest man - NRL - Fox Sports

Manly halfback Kieran Foran was the biggest surprise, with the 88kg Kiwi teenager able to bench-press a whopping 170kg - almost twice his body weight.

Impressive for a young bloke.

A 2x BW bench is impressive for anyone!

Couple of older articles - this one is from 2007:

Fittest, strongest, fastest, the game's best athletes
CHRIS Beattie is on the wrong side of 30 and hasn't played a game in Australia for two years but can now claim to be the strongest man in the NRL. With the first match of the season just 43 days away, The Sun-Herald contacted all 16 clubs to determine the strongest, fastest and fittest men in the game.

Nine clubs tested the maximum bench press of their players during the pre-season, and veteran prop Beattie came out on top with a one-repetition lift of 180 kilograms.

The stunning effort puts him above Melbourne forward Antonio Kaufusi, Manly premier league forward Sione Finefeuiaki and Eels trio Fuifui Moimoi, Richard Fa'aoso and Weller Hauraki, who can all bench 170kg.

New Zealand Warriors back-rower Sonny Fai registered a bench press of 185kg but is yet to make his debut in the NRL.

Their numbers are impressive, but they are well short of the mark set last season by former Manly colossus Kylie Leuluai, who benched 220kg - and did three repetitions.

Former Queensland prop Beattie, who returns to the NRL with the Sydney Roosters after a two-year stint with French Super League team Catalans Dragons, credited "good habits" and an injury-free run for his superb physical condition. "From a weights point of view, as an older player you just program yourself ," he said.

"After you've been doing it for a number of years you reach a certain strength. I believe I have got stronger at the end of my career."

The 31-year-old, when told his lift was the highest in the league, played down the result. "We primed ourselves for that lift," he said. "It's not a weight I throw around every week. It's only one lift - I'm sure there are a lot of guys who do more chin-ups or push-ups. I don't get too carried away with that sort of stuff."

While Beattie's lift is the heaviest, Sea Eagles halfback Matt Orford is, pound for pound, the strongest man in the league. Aptly nicknamed Ox, Orford can bench 160kg - twice his body weight.

Rather than measuring a one-repetition maximum (1rm) lift, several clubs tested how many times a player could bench his body weight.

St George Illawarra's 101kg back-rower Sam Isemonger can do it 25 times, ahead of Kangaroos centre Matt Cooper (21).

Utility Luke MacDougall has also impressed teammates since joining from South Sydney, particularly after squatting his body weight 85 times on a one-legged press machine.

Several Dragons have added size to their frames in the off-season while decreasing their skinfold readings, most notably outside back Josh Morris (6kg), Cooper (4.5kg) and former Shark Beau Scott (4kg).

At the Roosters, 85 per cent of the squad are benching more this season than at any other time of their career. Craig Wing and Anthony Minichiello are pressing 145kg and 150kg respectively.

Former Dragons hooker George Ndaira can squat 250kg and has been clocked at under five seconds during 40-metre sprints on grass. Halfback Josh Lewis, the quickest man at the club, completed 31 chin-ups at a recent session.

Emerging forward Frank-Paul Nuuausala has trimmed from 125kg to 108kg and Willie Brown is 110kg, a far cry from the 130kg he weighed a couple of years ago.

Penrith winger Luke Rooney has knuckled down in the pre-season in an attempt to return to representative football and strength and conditioning coach Carl Jennings has rated him the club's "best all-round athlete". The former Kangaroo's figures are impressive. He can bench his own weight of 100kg 15 times, squat three times his body weight 65 times and shoulder press half his weight an amazing 49 times.

In an endurance assessment - in which Jennings tested how far the Panthers can run in one minute - Rooney recorded the best distance of 440m. Those figures are expected to improve when the Panthers complete a round of testing this weekend. In all, the Panthers' skinfold levels have come down 30 per cent as part of new coach Matt Elliott's focus on fitness and mobility.

"We're a lot leaner and people will recognise that when we start playing," Jennings said. "There's no point looking like Tarzan if you play like Jane."
Manly have gone through protein supplements worth $12,500 in the past three months in an attempt to bulk up their squad. The investment has paid off, with the players adding an average of 2.5kg of muscle during that period.

Tongan powerhouse Finefeuiaki won the Sea Eagles "strongman" contest although he does weights only once a week.

The real surprise packet has been Chris Hicks. The underrated outside back can bench his bodyweight of 90kg 27 times. He holds the club record for backs, benching 110kg 18 times and still being able to post sub-five-second 40m times.

At only 80kg, pint-sized half Travis Burns also trains above his weight - squeezing out a 150kg press.

Parramatta strength and conditioning coach Hayden Knowles believes he has one of league's strongest men in former Rooster Richard Fa'aoso.
The Tongan international is also just behind Eric Grothe in 40m sprint testing. "He's the most powerful thing I've come across … and the quickest I've seen in a big guy," Knowles said.

Benji Marshall has posted promising results in a series of "related power" assessments. Wests Tigers' Kiwi playmaker averaged a vertical jump of 49.67cm over five jumps, pipping John Morris.

In Canberra, the average player weight has increased to 98.9kg, with 3.5kg less fat.

Leading the way in the strength department is prop Jason Williams, who benches 160kg and is able to squat 180kg for three repetitions.
Raiders strength and conditioning coach Sean Edwards, who worked with Wallabies stars during his time in rugby, described Williams as one of the strongest athletes he's seen.

Only Souths, Brisbane, Gold Coast and the Bulldogs - who have not yet completed strength and speed testing - did not provide results or player rankings, but Brisbane's performance director Dean Benton said the premiers were physically a month ahead of where they were at this stage last season.

..and this one is from 2009.

Meet Parramatta's Mannah from heaven
The men of league aren't robots, but they train like machines - with this youngster showing he has horsepower to spare, writes Adrian Proszenko.

When Tim Mannah runs out to make his NRL debut, opponents will have plenty of ammunition.
The Parramatta prop is a former milkman who is abstaining from sex until he gets married. In rugby league, that combination is tantamount to putting a dartboard on your head and begging to be sledged. However, his opponents might not want to get too cheeky, as Mannah can claim to be one of the strongest men in rugby league.
With the first match of the season just 25 days away, The Sun-Herald contacted all 16 clubs to determine the strongest, fastest and fittest men in the game.

Most of the clubs tested the maximum bench press of their players during the pre-season, and Mannah shares top spot with a one-repetition lift of 180 kilograms.

The feat was equalled only by promising Penrith prop Sam McKendry and Bulldogs counterpart Sione "John" Kite.

The Eels copped a flogging on the field last year and they have been flogged mercilessly in pre-season to ensure it doesn't happen again. Under the watchful eye of new coach Daniel Anderson, the Eels have been pushed to their limits.
Mannah, who turns 21 today, has responded to the challenge.
"He's a machine when it comes to throwing weights around, he's training the house down," said Parramatta strength and conditioning coach Hayden Knowles.
Mannah is fit, too. No one had ever cracked the 400-metre barrier since the club measured the distance a player could travel on their rowing machine in 60 seconds.
Mannah jumped on the ergometer and clocked 401m. Meanwhile, Bulldogs skipper Andrew Ryan also excelled with 380m.
To put the figures in perspective, rugby sensation Ratu Nasiganiyavi had Waratahs trainers in a lather when he pulled 713m in two minutes.
Australian Schoolboys star Mannah, a candidate for a front row spot after Junior Paulo suffered a pectoral injury, hopes the hard work translates into an NRL debut.
"With the new coach coming in, everyone's on a level playing field and we're all trying to impress," Mannah said. "Ando [Anderson] has really pushed us. Compared to last year, we're that much tougher. Physical preparation won't be an issue this year, that won't be an excuse."

Eric Grothe jnr is also thriving under the new regime. The Eels winger generates the most power on a non-motorised treadmill, which simulates game-day exertions, and can complete 28 chin-ups.

Bulldogs tyro Ben Barba notched 30, followed by teammate Brett Kimmorley with 27. But the king of the "chins" is Wests Tigers winger Peni Tagive with 36. After a seven-minute break, the Fijian youngster can also manage 49 dips.

McKendry also boasts impressive figures. The 20-year-old deadlifts 230kg and back squats 220kg to go with his impressive bench press. He is one of several Panthers to impress strength and conditioning coach Carl Jennings. Another is diminutive half Jarrod Sammut, who has added 7kg of muscle to his frame during the off-season.
Trent Waterhouse is up 5kg and Frank Pritchard 4kg. The latter runs an average of 26km during a typical week of training, consisting of four field sessions, a kilometre more than the club average. Hooker Paul Aiton is the big improver and is considered the club's best athlete, pound for pound. Last year he was ranked 10th in that category. "With Luke Priddis not being around, he's decided 'this is my year'," Carl Jennings said. He's been sensational."

The Bulldogs have a new team and a new attitude in 2009 if training results are any indication. Kiwi international Matt Utai completed a 5km bike ride in just seven minutes and 24 seconds. Kite lost 10kg while maintaining his strength, while Yileen Gordon has shed 8kg. Several players are benching more than 150kg.

At the Titans, former Australian prop Luke Bailey has added 6kg to his frame and Ben Jeffries 5kg. However, the Titans still have some of the leanest bodies, with dual international Mat Rogers (43ml of body fat) leading ahead of hooker Nathan Friend (44ml), William Zillman and Mark Minichiello (both 45).

The trend is the same at Manly, although not everyone has bulked up. Giant prop George Rose has lost 8kg, reducing skinfold readings at the same time. Jason King is considered the strongest man in the club, although his bench pressing pales in comparison to Kylie Leuluai. The former Sea Eagle used to bench 220kg - and regularly pushed out three repetitions.

Matt Orford, aptly nicknamed Ox, is rated the club's strongest, pound for pound. The Sea Eagles were one of the first clubs to use GPS technology to track player exertions. "The Ox runs and moves so hard that his change of direction comes up as a G-force," said strength and conditioning coach Don Singe.

Testing results are generally a closely guarded secret among NRL clubs. While some were generous with the amount of information they provided, others were more cautious, fearing they could tip off rivals to their strengths and weaknesses. For instance, Singe revealed that hooker Matt Balin, a qualified personal trainer, is fittest man at Brookvale Oval, but did not want to reveal specifics.

"I'll just say his [aerobic capacity] is well above a normal human being," he said. "Instead of lungs, he has two hot-air balloons."

One of the most revered - and feared - trainers in the NRL is Billy Johnstone. The intensity of his workouts are legendary and little has changed after returning to North Queensland, even if wet weather prevented him from completing his full raft of tests.
One man to impress the fitness guru is Australian halfback Johnathan Thurston, who has won a series of club challenges. "He's a freak, Johnny," Johnstone said. "He had an operation and was away for two months. He came back and won everything."

But an NRL off-season can't be quantified simply by numbers, says Eels trainer Knowles. "The one thing which can't be measured on any test is a massive adjustment in attitude from the boys. They look ready for a big year."

sounds like some epic quarter squats here.

UKJay said:

The former Kangaroo's figures are impressive. He can bench his own weight of 100kg 15 times, squat three times his body weight 65 times and shoulder press half his weight an amazing 49 times.

Click to expand...

he can squat 300kg for 65 reps?
that must be wrong

Take these figures with a grain of salt.

There is no man on the planet that squats triple bodyweight for 65 reps

Utility Luke MacDougall has also impressed teammates since joining from South Sydney, particularly after squatting his body weight 85 times on a one-legged press machine.

Really? Was he standing on the machine, balancing, while squatting with a bar across his shoulders

maybe they forgot the decimal?

I recently saw a syd uni rugby union player low box squat 300kg x 2....very impressive and perfect form...

63 reps to go lol

Oliver04 said:

sounds like some epic quarter squats here.

Click to expand...

it could be legit, if they're repping 220kg+ deads the squats wouldn't be far behind.
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WWWWWOOOOOOO WWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOO.


I think the broncos are turing gay(er).

The Broncos prob have the best strength and conditioning development in the NRL! they use a westside style of split....

So do the Storm.

Bench record is 180kg from a second teamer, squat record is around 250kg.

Sam Burgess benchs 170kg for 5rm
Dave Taylor benchs 240kg for 5rm

Thats what Sam told me when I asked him...

I may be wrong, but I dont think there is anyone in Australia who could bench 240kg x 5 raw.

Thats 530lbs x 5

240lbs lol

dave taylor is defiantly on HGH. i heard that when he got his collar bone repaired the doctor said it was the biggest collar bone he's ever seen.

i thought the 175kg was pretty amazing, pretty close grip, no real arch.