A sparring match facilitated by BoxingAustralia’s leading coaches rounded out day two of the AIS emerging leaderscamp in Canberra on Saturday.

Mav Weller looked menacing in the ring ashe took on former Swan Tim Membrey in the first match with a handful of playerstaking part in the final physical challenge.

“The guys have done really well to copewith all the pressures that have been thrown at them over the last 30 hours,”Player Academy Manager Simon McPhee said.

“They’ve been sleep deprived and forced toface challenges head on but they’ve emerged unscathed and ready to take onwhatever is next.  It’s been reallyimpressive.” 

After a gruelling fitness test on Fridaynight, the players were up until the early hours of Saturday morning and were surprised with a5.30am wake up call to meet with former world champion marathon runner Robertde Castella for a training session.

The players also took on Canberra’s eliteWaterpolo players in a friendly at the prestigious AIS Recovery and SwimmingCentre, which boasts world class,high tech systems that are purpose built for Australia’s elite swimmers.

Based at the AIS headquarters, they movedthrough physical challenges with each player taking the reins as the “leader” after every session,analysing and debriefing before moving onto the next phase of the program.

The challenges on Friday and Saturdayremained a mystery to the players who will now undertake a “Leading Teams”review on Sunday before holding a light skills session on Monday. 

They will rejoin the five plus year players at Linen House Centre early next week as they return from their holiday break.