Toby Bedford and Harvey Thomas were amongst a host of GIANTS who burnt up the track in the club’s 2km time trial upon their return from their summer break.
One of the first things on the agenda following their return, the GIANTS entire squad was put through its paces in searing conditions as the club ramped up its preparations for an exciting 2026 AFL season.
Run in two separate groups starting 30 seconds apart, Bedford and Thomas clocked the two fastest times overall as the winners of each group.
Bedford’s win continues a dominant run of time trial showings, with the speedster winning multiple 2km time trials since becoming a GIANT ahead of the 2023 season.
Meanwhile Thomas showed off the work he’s put in over the summer with a blistering effort to finish first in the opposing group.
Emerging winger Ryan Angwin, renowned as one of the club’s best runners, finished in third in another strong showing, while mid-forward Toby McMullin and dashing defender Lachie Ash rounded out the top five.
Jackson Dennis, the club’s new Head of High Performance, was wrapped with the condition of the returning playing group after a three-week layoff for their Christmas break.
“We were really impressed with how the guys have come back,” Dennis said.
“Compared to this time last year, our average time [in the 2km time trial] was eight seconds faster.
Dennis, who joined the GIANTS in November after a decade as part of the Fremantle Dockers’ high performance department, added that there was a number of strong individual performances.
“Toby Bedford won one and Harvey Thomas won the other, and they both PB’d so that was great.
“Both Ollie Hannaford and Joey Delana pulled out about a 20-second PB which is really significant.
“We also had some more experienced guys PB which was great. So, Harry Himmelberg [for example] did a four-second PB which for a guy who has played over 200 games is a really, really impressive effort.
“The other one to call out for his improvement is Callum Brown, he had an 11-second PB which is a great result.”
A staple in the AFL industry, Dennis said the 2km time trial offers a range of benefits.
“Essentially your average speed across the 2km means you can break that down to how many meters per second that you cover and that’s a really handy metric in terms of our prescription on the other side of that.
“So really it's all about how we then prescribe their conditioning because we want to make sure that they have an aerobic base so that they can generate repeat power and repeat speed as often as possible, especially with the way that we play which is a really fast brand of footy.
“But in order for the players to perform on the field means we need to make sure they have that aerobic base underneath them, so the 2km is a really nice measure of aerobic capacity and allows us to identify guys who potentially need to build that base or guys who have a really good base and who we can then target some of their training to more repeat speed.
“It allows us to be really specific to make sure when we are training and running that we are getting what we want out of it as it's not really a one size fits all approach.
“It’s also a great measure of accountability. The players really respond to having a target and being held accountable to it.”
With under two months until the club’s Opening Round clash with the Hawks, Dennis said the GIANTS’ pre-season preparations have been taken up a notch.
“We are in our heaviest phase of pre-season right now. I spoke to the players on Saturday about how big this next two weeks is for us: our football loads will ramp really quickly now.
“We built a really big bank of volume, including high-speed volume pre-Christmas, but the football drills were more controlled, whereas now the football drills have become much more chaotic and more match play. Then next week it ramps up again.
Having spent most of his life in Western Australia, Dennis added he was loving his time as a GIANT thus far after making the cross-country move in November.
“It’s been brilliant – I couldn’t speak higher of the club and everyone involved.
“I was pumped to get the role, then how I’ve been looked after and been welcomed into the club has been brilliant.
“It’s been great to meet the playing group and the staff I’m working with are great as well. I’m really lucky to come into a department that’s got a lot of experience and it’s a really collaborative and highly performing department.
“My fiancé Poppy is moving across this week. We just got an apartment here and we are excited to take on a new city. I’ve been in Perth most of my life and she’s been there for nearly 10 years so hopefully there’s some great new opportunities for her as well here workwise, but also to take on a new adventure.
“We are really looking forward to taking in Sydney.”
The GIANTS will kickstart their 2026 season with a huge Opening Roung clash with the Hawks at ENGIE Stadium on Saturday, March 7.
GIANTS’ 2km Time Trial Top Five
- Toby Bedford
- Harvey Thomas
- Ryan Angwin
- Toby McMullin
- Lachie Ash
