Lachlan Gollant instantly became the “skinny kid at the Club” when he arrived at West Lakes in December 2019.

Despite standing at a similar height to fellow forward Taylor Walker, Gollant was 28 kilograms lighter than the former Crows skipper when Adelaide called his name at pick No.48 in the 2019 AFL Draft.

The lightly framed teenager admitted to receiving a few blank looks when others first laid eyes on him, wondering how long it would take to develop a body ready for the rigours of AFL football.

However, with the support of teammates, coaches and the Club’s high-performance staff, Gollant has undergone a significant and visible physical transformation.

“Everyone got around me pretty early and said, ‘look if you put in the work, you’ll see the rewards’,” Gollant told AFC Media.

In the space of 13 months, Gollant has added 13 kilograms to his frame, a reward for his consistent diligence and hard work.

The Calder Cannons product said there is no real secret behind his increase in size but admits consistency with his diet and gym work have been key ingredients behind his success.

Diet: “Just keep eating…”

Gollant has been directed by the Club’s dietician, Brie Salagaras, to eat as much as he can, and as often as he can, with the 19-year-old aiming for six meals per day.

“What I’ve been told by Brie and everyone else is just keep eating,” he said.

“The first few weeks were a bit difficult; you feel a bit sick after every meal, but you get used to it pretty quickly.

“You’ve just gotta stay consistent with that and just keep eating.

"I aim for six meals a day and they’re proper meals.

“The rule with Brie is that you try and get protein and carbs in every meal.

“I’ve got a bit of a license to have a few cheeky treats every now and again, but it’s usually just the healthy protein, carbs and just get in as much as you can for every meal.”

Extra sessions in the gym

In addition to getting his food intake right, Gollant’s extra work in the gym has been another major catalyst behind him packing on the size.

The forward is looking to emulate the likes of Taylor Walker and ruckman Reilly O’Brien with their habits in the weights room.

“We usually try to hit three upper body and two lower body sessions a week,” Gollant said.

“I try and get an extra upper body session on my day off, or on the weekend sometimes, so I’ll come in with the gym coach and we’ll go through that with a few of the other boys as well.

“I really enjoy the gym, so it’s really easy for me. I just get in, get the work done, and you start to see the rewards.

“There’s plenty of guys in the team that are really good in the gym.

“Reilly O’Brien’s another one – speaking to him, getting tips and tricks in the gym, how to stay consistent and things like that, so they’re really good to look up to.”

The benefits of a bigger frame

One week into January’s pre-season, Gollant said he is feeling far stronger in the contest.

“Playing in the forward line, you’re one-on-one with your defender a fair bit, so recently I’ve felt like I’ve been able to compete with them and even win a few contests which is a good sign,” Gollant said.

“It means I’m able to access different parts of the game, which previously I haven’t been able to. 

“Things like bodying up on my defender, pushing off and making a lead, so yeah, you notice differences but there’s still a long way to go.”

Goals for Season 2021

Gollant is determined to continue developing and impressing his teammates and coaches with his output on the training track.

His end goal is to put himself in the mix for senior selection and a dream AFL debut.

“Coming in I was pretty raw, so I’ve put on the weight, my running has gotten a lot better, but I just gotta keep building,” Gollant said.

“I think if I do that and start to put out some good performances on the track, hopefully a debut this year. 

“That’s the goal for everyone who hasn’t played a game, so that’s my goal for this year.”