In a revealing discussion on the AFL Exchange podcast, interim captain Drew Petrie spoke about his pre-match routine before games.

Using a Saturday night game as an example, Petrie started from two nights before the match.

PRESS PLAY above to listen to Petrie’s thoughts | NMFC Audio

Thursday & Friday

“So the Thursday night, I like to have the pasta night. Then on Friday night it can be steak and veg, it can be whatever.

“Friday we have a bit of a run at the club and then we watch a lot of vision – as a team and then as a group. The forwards will look at the
defenders we’re coming up against; are they fast? are they slow? …that sort of stuff.

“Friday I like to hydrate a lot, about four litres of fluid. It’s about three quarters water and the other quarter Gatorade.”

Saturday

“On the Saturday I like to have a midday sleep. It’s a very, very long day from the time you wake up to the time you play. You can play the game in your head and get pretty knackered by the time 7:50 comes around.

“We have to be at the ground two hours before the game. I like to leave for the ground about two and a half hours out and I’ll start my preparation about four hours out, leading into the game.

“I’ll go for a walk, I might jump into the pool and have a splash around to wake myself up.

“I drive with myself and just put the radio on on the way to the ground.

“For a night game I’ll have a snack just before I leave for the ground and that’s it before the game.

“I don’t go out onto the ground until we have our warm-up about 40 minutes before the game.

“I like to be organised early. I’ll get some physio, get strapped and I’m basically ready to run out probably two hours before the game starts.

“I’m calm until about 30 minutes out. Then I start to build the voice up and get the atmosphere going in the rooms.”