High-performance icon Darren Burgess has a straightforward approach to preparing clubs for success.
“My pre-season philosophy is pretty simple really - just get into footy as quickly as possible," Burgess told Zero Hanger.
“I use the off-season period for the players to train their physical capacity, so that when pre-season starts we can focus on football.
“To do that successfully, we rely on the players to do the work in the off-season.”
Having spent time at Liverpool, Arsenal, Port Adelaide, Melbourne, Adelaide, the Socceroos and now Juventus, Burgess has built a resume that few high-performance coaches in world sport can rival. It has seen him develop a reputation as one of sport's most respected fitness bosses.
There is an idea among AFL fans that success follows Burgess. And it's true. Having joined the Demons in 2019, Burgess led them to their first flag in 57 years in 2021. Later that year, he departed for the struggling Crows, who had languished near the bottom of the ladder since the end of 2019. In his final year at Adelaide, the Crows finished as minor premiers.
At the heart of Burgess' impact is his rare ability to prepare players both physically and mentally to perform on the big stage. He also has an incredible ability to manage his players, which sees them stay on the park for longer.
Rather than using January to condition his players, he prefers players arrive to pre-season training already physically prepared. Burgess says that this responsibility begins well before official pre-season training kicks off.
As a result, football sessions can be more intense and game-like when players return to training, while injury risk is also reduced through exposure to realistic match demands.
“If you make the footy sessions quite difficult, particularly in that January period, then the actual games become a bit easier," Burgess said.
After a spate of injuries last week upon AFL clubs returning, including a pair of ACL injuries to Jackson Archer and Jesse Motlop, Burgess believes the off-season and pre-season periods could be modified so players are better prepared for the demands of training when returning.
“It's long been my opinion that we have too long a pre-season period,” Burgess said.
“It's my view that the players should get a fair bit of time off, but once they start back training, the break period should be minimised.
“Your body likes a rhythm of training exposure. The time off can get you into a bit of trouble, and that's what causes injuries as much as anything is those constant break periods.”
Burgess believes the issue is not the amount of training players do, but instead the stop-start nature of the pre-season.
Players return to pre-season training for three weeks before going on Christmas leave. They then return for three weeks before a mandated AFLPA four-day break, return to training again for three weeks, and then practice matches begin.
Burgess argues that these repeated breaks once training has resumed are a “disservice to the players,” as it puts them at greater risk of injury.
Burgess' view is that the AFL could either delay the return to training until after Christmas and have players train continuously through to the start of the season, or allow more time off immediately after the season and significantly shorten the break over Christmas. According to Burgess, what matters most is consistency.
While he is renowned for his brutal physical programs, Burgess is just as invested in mental preparation.
“In terms of mental resilience and belief, that's obviously pretty important,” Burgess said.
“The way you do that is through education and relaying stories of successful athletes from around the world and how they navigated arduous seasons.”
“I do a fair bit of research on what makes those people tick and then relate that back to footy."
He also believes resilience is built by exposing players to unpredictable environments.
“A game of footy represents three hours of unknown. Everything is unpredictable,” Burgess explained.
To replicate that uncertainty, Burgess deliberately incorporates an element of surprise at training. Unpredictable drills, unexpected running loads and even poor umpiring decisions are all tools he uses to harden players psychologically.
Evidence of this is the brutal session he put Port Adelaide players through just two hours after landing in Dubai in late 2013. Ask Burgess about the toughest session he's ever delivered, and the answer is immediate.
“Undoubtedly the 100x100s we did in Dubai with Port Adelaide,” he said.
“It was done safely and purely as a mental resilience exercise. It was to show the players that anything is possible.”
Now based at Italian soccer powerhouse Juventus, Burgess' role has evolved beyond the training track. As director of performance, he oversees all aspects of performance across the club.
His focus has shifted from hands-on conditioning of players to leadership and strategy. It's a change he admits has taken adjustment.
“I do miss the interaction with the players, but I'm enjoying the change," Burgess said.
Despite departing for Italy late last year, Burgess hasn't closed the door on a return home to the AFL.
“Its one of the best competitions in the world to work in for people with my sort of background,” Burgess said.
“I loved my time there… and I could certainly see myself back there."
