The two hours of game time are all most fans get to see of their team each weekend, but there’s a lot of work and preparation that goes in behind the scenes the day before and after a match. 

In the final instalment of this three-part series, afc.com.au takes an inside look at the Club's trip to the Gold Coast.

THE first quarter of Brenton Sanderson’s first official game in charge goes almost exactly to plan, as the Crows pile on seven goals to Gold Coast’s three to open up a 31-point lead at quarter-time.

A few errors start to creep in after the first change and the match takes a turn for the worse when Rick Henderson is knocked out in a heavy collision with Suns onballer Michael Rischitelli.

The Club doctor and trainers get to Henderson almost immediately, reassuring him and protecting his neck and head, which have copped the brunt of the contact.

Naturally, the coaches and officials are concerned for Hendo’s wellbeing. He’s sustained a couple of knocks in previous seasons and it’s unsettling to see any player lying motionless on the ground, but everyone takes comfort in the fact that he’s in good hands.

Henderson’s housemate Matt Wright - an emergency for the game - is watching the events unfold from the stats box adjoining the coach’s box at Metricon Stadium. His phone buzzes and it’s Hendo’s girlfriend, who is also at the game watching anxiously.

In a professional industry like the AFL, it’s sometimes easy to overlook the emotions of the players’ family and friends, who have to witness incidents such as the one involving Henderson, and aren’t always able to be by their loved one’s side.

Wright heads straight down to the rooms to check on his mate and, hopefully, offer some comfort to Henderson’s worried partner.

It takes what feels like an eternity for the mini-ambulance to get in the right position for the medical staff to load the stretcher and take a groggy Henderson into the rooms.

To help fill the time, the big screen shows highlights of Sanderson in his first game.

Word comes through that Henderson is conscious and alert, and that combined with vision of an 18-year-old Sanderson slotting a goal from outside 50m helps to take the edge off the mood in the stadium.

Wright returns to the stats box a short time later, confirming Henderson is nursing a sore head but is otherwise okay. It’s good news, but he is substituted out of the game.

Fortunately, the second half is less eventful and the Crows put together some encouraging passages of play to kick further ahead and record a 69-point win.

After shaking hands with the opposition and thanking the supporters, who have made the journey to the Gold Coast for the game, the players head into the rooms to sing the Club song for only the second time this year (they opted against singing it during the NAB Cup until the Grand Final).

After belting out the song and showering Crows debutant Tom Lynch in Powerade, the players collapse on the floor. The first match of the season proper is always a significant step up in intensity from the pre-season games and the players are exhausted.

They remain sprawled out on the floor, sporting ice packs all over their battered bodies for several minutes before they start heading off for medical checks, massages, ice baths, showers and the general warm-down process, which can take over an hour.

The players are weighed to help manage their rehydration and are offered plenty of water, Powerade, fruit and snacks - dinner won’t be until 8:30 on this particular night, so it’s important they can start to refuel in the meantime. After night games, dinner can be served as late as midnight.

Sanderson and midfielder Rory Sloane speak at the post-match press conference, while other players are interviewed by various media outlets and catch-up with friends and family, who have made the trip.

About 90 minutes after the completion of the game, the team bus departs for the hotel.

Andy Otten, Jared Petrenko, Mark Bickley and CEO Steven Trigg make a quick detour, stopping in at a nearby golf club to speak at a function for the local Supporters Group, travelling fans and parents.

Eventually, they join their teammates back at the hotel for dinner and a quiet night watching the Fremantle v Geelong game.

At breakfast the next morning, the players compare sore spots.

With the exception of Henderson, who is feeling better than expected, the Club has escaped injury-free but every player is stiff and sore and they hobble around gingerly to get their food.

The choppy surf ruins Physical Performance Manager Stephen Schwerdt’s plans for a beach recovery session. Instead, the players hit the hotel pool for a light swim.

The sight of 22 professional athletes in their speedos is enough to force the lone non-Crows guest - a middle-aged man - in the pool out of the water.

After recovery, everyone heads back to their rooms to pack their bags ahead of the bus trip back to Coolangatta Airport at 10.45am.

For a moment, Bernie Vince, Matt Wright and I hold genuine fears we’ll miss the bus and subsequent flight home after experiencing a nervous moment in an elevator.

The descent from levels 13 to two is without incident, but as the elevator reaches level one it stops suddenly and then drops what feels like a metre.

The light indicating the level we’re on is frozen on ‘1’ and the door remains closed.

Nervous looks are exchanged and Bernie starts pressing buttons repeatedly.

Fortunately, the lift jolts back into action and we arrive safely on the ground floor, vowing to walk the 13 flights of stairs next time we visit the hotel.

The story is relayed to Jared Petrenko, who recalls an anxious moment of his own in one of the temperamental elevators.  Afraid of heights, ‘Pup’ says he started to feel uneasy when one of the lifts, which are fitted with glass backs and look out over the hotel grounds, stopped suddenly the day before.

He’s also a nervous flyer and the first one to cop a ribbing from his not-to-supportive teammates in the event of turbulence.

Fortunately, everyone makes it to the foyer and the bus heads off to the airport.

The travelling party makes its way through the baggage drop and security where to the amusement of some of his staff Steven Trigg is padded down by security guards after setting off the metal detectors.

This situation is nothing new for the CEO, who had a double-hip replacement a few years ago, and attracts the attention of well-meaning airport security staff every time he flies.

After being cleared as a potential security threat, Trigg boards the plane along with the rest of the group.

This time, it’s Communications Manager David Burtenshaw’s turn to be nervous about being seated across the aisle from Taylor Walker, but fortunately for ‘DB’ Tex is distracted by the in-flight entertainment.

Chatter fills the plane when Fox Footy show the vision of Matthew Scarlett’s hit on Hayden Ballantyne, and when the Western Bulldogs v West Coast game kicks off the preparations for next week’s game against the Dogs get underway…