Jarryn Geary has continued his reign as endurance king by winning the 3km time-trial at Linen House Centre on Friday morning, although he wasn’t the only elder statesmen to impress in the rain.
Stalwart defender Sam Gilbert – the oldest player on St Kilda’s list – has returned for his 13th pre-season in great condition, staying with the lead pack the whole way before finishing equal 5th.
Despite heavy rain across the morning and a forecast of much more over the next 48 hours, the Saints were still put through their paces as the rain tumbled down in Seaford.
Geary opened up a gap between himself and a chasing mob for most of the second half of the run, before young midfielder Ed Phillips reduced the margin in the closing stages, but not enough to dethrone the captain.
Reigning Trevor Barker Award winner Seb Ross was next across the line, just in front of a fast finishing Mav Weller, before Jack Sinclair and Gilbert went stride for stride over the last 100 metres and finished with the same time.
Big-bodied midfielders Jack Steele and Blake Acres were just behind the leading group, continuing their impressive start to the summer.
While first-round picks Hunter Clark and Nick Coffield were part of a group that did a different running set on the main oval, new Saints Ben Paton, Oscar Coffield and Doulton Langlands weren’t spared the punishment.
All three fresh faces made a strong start to their testing at St Kilda, with Paton first across the line, not far behind the man he’s currently living with, Jack Billings, who continued his eye-catching start to the pre-season with another strong run.
3km Time-Trial December 1:
1. Jarryn Geary
2. Ed Phillips
3. Seb Ross
4. Mav Weller
5. Jack Sinclair/Sam Gilbert
