The Wests Tigers pathways players have traded in the football field for the notorious Wanda Beach sand dunes as pre-season training gets underway.
More than 300 up-and-coming players in the Tigers system travelled to Cronulla Beach on Saturday and were put through a gruelling process ahead of the club's trials next weekend.
After playing his final three seasons in Wests Tigers colours as a player, Shannon Gallant now works as the club's Pathways and Junior Recruitment Manager and was the main figure on Saturday.
The former fullback explained that it was important to combine all junior squads together - female and male.
โWe get all the squads to one joint session at the start of summer and I think it's really important,โ said Gallant.
"Although these players and coaches are at different stages, different ages, even different regions, we are all Wests Tigers.
โWe are very different to most clubs with three broad catchment areas, so I think that makes it even more important that we do this kind of thing.โ
While the male junior squads normally go through the process of running in the sand dunes, it was the first time Wests Tigers female pathways players have joined in on the session.
This included players from the Wests Tigers Roar Academy, Lisa Fiaola Cup (Under 17s) and Tarsha Gale Cup (Under 19s) teams.
Gallant wasn't the only former Tiger in attendance as new Balmain Pathways Manager Bronson Harrison was also at the sand dunes and helped lead the players through different training workouts.
When asked why the club decided to travel to the sand dunes, Gallant revealed it is the ultimate team-building and bonding experience.
โNo-one likes coming here and I certainly didn't in my playing days either,โ he disclosed.
"It won't be easy and it will take these young men and women out of their comfort zones.
โIt's one of those tough experiences that they will go through together, they will feel it together, and it's a great team-building exercise.โ
โWe begin trials next weekend so this is an ideal lead-in to those matches.โ
