Storm have always prided themselves on training at a high standard but even Ryan Hoffman was surprised at just how high the bar has risen.
Back for his third stint at Melbourne, Hoffman thought he would avoid the shock to the system that new recruits usually experience during the first few weeks of pre-season training.
After all he knew what he was getting himself into – or so he thought.
What he did not expect was for the training sessions to be completed so rapidly and so down to the minute.
An intensity that caught even this 305-game NRL veteran off guard.
"Everything is done at a million miles an hour, it's done so fast," Ryan Hoffman told The Age.
"On the other side of the field last season you could see why Melbourne would run over the top of teams because they had ability to play so fast for so long. It held them in good stead all season.
"How fast we train. The drills. They are very scientific and down to the minute. Even our drinks breaks are timed and we have a clock on the side of the field showing how long we have to do each thing.
"You have to do it at a million miles an hour and there is a method to it. I think when you train at that speed it makes you quicker between the ears too."
