Jason Porplyzia has defied a history of shoulder injuries to be crowned the strongest player at West Lakes.

In the Crows’ strength testing last month, Porplyzia ranked No.1 in the bench press and squat, recording personal best results in both tests.

Porplyzia hasn’t played a game since dislocating his shoulder in the early stages of Adelaide’s season-opener against Hawthorn last year.

Coach Brenton Sanderson said the skilful forward’s results in the gym were testament to his dedication to training.

“Jason Porplyzia is the strongest at the Club,” Sanderson told afc.com.au.

“He’s constantly in the top-two or three of everything we test for whether it’s bench press, chin-ups or squats.

“His power-to-weight ratio would be one of the best in the competition when you think of his size and weight.

“He’s an absolute freak in the gym.”

Porplyzia isn’t the only player to have benefitted from the Club’s strength-focused pre-season program, which incorporated up to five weights sessions per week.

Of the 47 players to complete the bench-press test in February, 43 were able to ring the bell in the gym to alert their teammates and coaches of a new personal best.

A veteran of eight pre-seasons, Richard Douglas is another player, who has made significant improvement under the guidance of new strength and conditioning coach Nick Poulos.

Douglas recorded personal bests in all the major tests, including bench press, chin-ups, bench pull, deadlift and squat, ranking top five at the Club in each when the power-to-weight ratio was applied.

Jared Petrenko also demonstrated exceptional strength for his size, recording personal bests in all the tests and ranking No.1 at the Club in the snatch relative to body weight, while Ricky Henderson - in his fourth pre-season - improved his best chin-ups result by a remarkable 43 per cent from the beginning to the end of the summer.

Bigger bodies Kurt Tippett and Taylor Walker, who now tips the scales at 100kgs, have also made substantial strength gains.

Walker is ranked No.1 at Adelaide in the deadlift, bench pull, clean and snatch (overall), while Tippett is top of the list for chin-ups.

All-round athlete Sam Kerridge has been the most impressive in the gym of the Club’s new recruits.

“Some of the numbers the guys have recorded in the strength testing are frightening,” Sanderson said.

“It doesn’t mean they’re better players, but their attitude in the gym has been second-to none.

“The big improvers have been Jared Petrenko, Richard Douglas and Taylor Walker is an absolute unit.

“Kurt Tippett’s made big improvement as has Chris Knights, who has been at the Club for several years, but has really blown everyone away in the gym this pre-season.

“Bernie Vince has the physical make-up to have a great AFL body and he’s starting to show it, and Ricky Henderson has improved out of sight.”

The pre-season strength gains aren’t limited to the players.

Keen to interact with the team while also keeping in shape, the Crows coaching staff joined in selected weights sessions over the summer with some surprising results.

Assistant coach and dual-premiership captain Mark Bickley set the bell ringing when he bench-pressed 122kg.

The result eclipsed Bickley’s previous best bench of 110kg, which he achieved more than a decade ago in the prime of his playing career.

Bickley’s achievement followed an impressive show of upper-body strength from coach Brenton Sanderson earlier in the pre-season.

“I’ve come right down the leaderboard now … I’m too tired all the time,” Sanderson said with a laugh.

“Mark Bickley’s bench press was amazing though … it’s good to see the coaches are getting stronger as well.”

Young onballer Rory Sloane took an early lead in the race to add muscle mass, but in the end it was wingman David Mackay, who took out the title for most muscle gained, adding in excess of 4kg since the end of last season.

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