Marcus Windhager has knuckled down over the off-season to avoid the peculiar ‘second-year blues’, placing considerable time and energy into increasing his running capacity to play extended bursts through the midfield.
The 19-year-old was just about part of the furniture at RSEA Park during the off-season and Christmas break, completing multiple sessions both on his own and with Mitch Owens to give himself every chance to become a permanent fixture for the Saints’ 150th year.
Successive podium finishes in the club’s December and January three-kilometre time trials – the first narrowly dipping out on top honours by less than a second – have proved the self-driven regime has paid off, with Windhager continuing to work closely with line coach Lenny Hayes and development coach Brendon Goddard as the season opener fast approaches.
“I had a big focus over the off-season to improve my running and make that a strength of mine,” Windhager told RSN.
“I also wanted to make sure my touch and how clean I was a priority as well. I think being clean in the AFL is the most important thing, so I spent a lot of time over the off-season with my best mate Mitch (Owens) working on being clean and spending a lot of time in the gym making sure that was at its best.
“It was all completely surreal last year. I had a back injury and didn’t think I’d be playing at all and would be going down the road of having surgery, but luckily enough I was able to get that right and string together a couple of games.
“Once I got that first taste of it, I didn’t want to let it go. It was too much fun in a way playing at the elite level.”
Windhager quickly shot into fan-favourite contention during his 18 matches in his debut season, earning a NAB Rising Star nomination and the club’s Best Emerging Player Award by season’s end.
While there’s no question as to the upside of the emerging on-baller, the similar potential attached to draftee Mattaes Phillipou has been just as strong among the fan-base.
Phillipou has only been a Saint for eight weeks, but has the backing of Windhager to make his mark.
“He’s definitely a confident kid and he plays with that as well which is great to see on the track,” Windhager said.
“He’s been unbelievable, he’s fitted right in and he doesn’t look out of place when he trains. It’s pretty exciting times.”
