Aquis Titans head of performance Matt Ford provides a fascinating insight into handling the NRLs first in-season nine-day trip across the continent.
No team had previously been handed a draw that has seen them travel the width of the continent from Perth, an eight and a half hour door to door journey, then back up in the country's Top End six days later.
Such things as hydration, diet, exercise and creating an environment as close as possible to the routines of home life are important, according to the experienced Ford.
"It's a unique situation in the NRL," he says.
"More often than not our road trip entail two or three days.
"To lengthen that to a nine-day road trip over several states is certainly a challenge but we feel like we have prepared to it the best we can and have a group that has embraced and have looked at the positives rather than drawing down on the negatives.
"Hydration is an obvious one ... but what can happen, particularly with extended travel, is the transit - getting to and from the airport - the flight and whether you sleep or don't sleep; they are the sort of factors where, at the end of the day, as a player, there's a fair chance you have consumed less water than on a normal day than what you would have on the Gold Coast."
Watch the entire interview and Matt's insights including the use of compression wear from Body Science (BSC) that several players favour.
To find out more about compression garments and other products, go to BSC'S website - click on the link - http://bit.ly/1sX8jiA
In coming days we will catch up with Matt and discuss other aspects of making the most of this unusual trip away.
