The Bombers’ new fitness regime aims to keep the team firing at peak when the pressure rises. Archie Roberts spoke about Essendon’s pre-season as being truly grueling, following the club’s recruitment of a fresh fitness setup.
Since Mathew Inness stepped in as the new head of fitness, his impact at Tullamarine has been instant, with players returning for pre-season training in November. After a stretch of lengthy injury lists and inconsistent performances, Essendon is determined to keep more players available and maintain competitiveness deeper into the season.
Roberts, a young standout who finished runner-up in Essendon’s best-and-fairest this year, has already noticed the changes. Players have been pushing through high-intensity drills in seven-minute blocks, often without water, to simulate late-game stretches when substitutes aren’t an option.
"The new fitness team has brought in a framework that’s new to us, and we’re really excited," Roberts said after a training session in warm weather. "We’re embracing the structure of these sessions—much more high-speed work and tougher sessions. We know it’s setting us up for the 2026 season. We’re honing in on the toughest seven minutes of a game, and aiming to be better than anyone else when the game’s at its harshest—being the fastest and the hardest-working."
Roberts also commented on Zach Merrett stepping away from the captaincy after the forward’s failed trade to Hawthorn, praising Merrett as a foundational figure in the group.
"Zach is tremendously respected and loved within our circle," Roberts said. "What he did was remarkable. He handed the armband on, but he remains an Essendon person and we’re all rooting for him. We love playing with him."
At only 20, Roberts is already emerging as a club leader and is keen to help the Bombers rebound from last season’s 6-17 finish, which left them 15th on the ladder.
"Leadership is one of my strengths, and I’ll be here to guide and support the next captain, whoever that may be," he said. "There are plenty of players ready to step up and take on the role. We’ve got some outstanding leaders, plus a group of growing and aspiring leaders who are eager to rise."
