RETIRED Raiders skipper Alan Tongue is pressing beer kegs above his head, dragging others by the hand through taxing sprints, crunching abs, flipping tyres, tip-toeing through rope grids and tossing weights.
It's six days out from Canberra's opening trial match of the 2012 NRL season and ''Tonguey'' looks as fit as a flame-haired fiddle.
Could he play again? At a pinch?
''I think I could,'' the 31-year-old laughs. ''No, I knew my time was up. I probably still need a little bit of time to get over all the bumps and bruises I've copped over the years. It's a lot easier to jump out of the bed on Monday morning.''
The real reason Tongue is sweating it out every Wednesday evening at Dickson Oval has nothing to do with a comeback. It's about maintaining a team connection.
And Tongue's team these days is the first grade ANU men's hockey squad.
It's a long story. Tongue, looking to keep fit, invited two of his mates to a sweat-fest before Christmas.
One of those mates was a hockey player and, like a Pied Piper of personal training, Tongue's one-hour boot camp sessions began to attract bigger numbers. Now he's ANU hockey's fitness coach.
''I've been in a team environment my whole life and it was something I was really missing. You take it for granted, but when it's taken away you realise how great it is,'' Tongue said. When I stopped training you lose a bit of self-confidence and self-esteem that you get from exercise. I started doing a bit by myself, but there's nothing like training with a bunch of mates who help and encourage each other. The hockey boys have been enjoying it and I jump in, too. It's as much for me as it is for them.''
Tongue called quits on his NRL career at the end of last season, despite having a year to run on his contract.
He doesn't regret it, acknowledging his body was busted.
The week after his farewell game, Tongue had reconstructive surgery on a shoulder injury he sustained just four minutes into the season.
The first operation was unsuccessful, so he went under the knife again five days later.
Doctors needed two grafts from his hamstrings to mend his shoulder and Tongue, a fitness fanatic, was barely able to walk for two months without thinking his hammys would snap.
''I really had to ease back into it, but I'm getting back up to full steam now,'' he said.
''I knew it was going to take me a fair bit of time to get over the shoulder injury and that was one of the reasons for deciding to retire. I didn't want to come back late in the pre-season and I didn't want to miss training sessions throughout the year.
''A big part of it for me was making sure I was playing the best footy I could and contributing to the side like I wanted. You'd love to keep playing on, but I knew my time was up.''
Tongue's decision now is what career path to choose. He's working with the NRL in welfare and education and will also dabble on commentary for ABC radio this season. Time will tell if Alan Tongue, personal trainer, becomes the best fit.
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