Fremantle has wasted no time in its preparation for its clash with Richmond this Sunday at Subiaco Oval.

With the team enjoying the rare luxury of a nine day break between matches, the team completed one of their most rigorous Monday training sessions of 2007 this morning.

Defender Antoni Grover said the players welcomed the longer hit out at Fremantle Oval.

“It’s not often we get to top up on our fitness work,” Grover said.

“A nine day break is something we don’t get often in football. We’ve had a lot of six day breaks.

“It’s probably a little advantage that we’ve had this week to get a bit of extra training in.”

The players were put through their paces during the 60 minute session, which saw the players work hard from end to end in several full ground drills and set shot goal kicking. The training session was followed by a 30 minute running session.

“We trained pretty well today and the spirit is still good,” Grover said.

“We’re still pushing ourselves really hard.

Grover said the players remained positive following Friday night’s loss to Collingwood and were focussed on returning to the winners circle.

“We’re still in the hunt so we don’t need much incentive at the moment,” Grover said.

“We didn’t play that bad on the weekend.  We’ve just got to get over the line and make the most of our chances and hopefully the dice rolls our way and we can get a few wins on the trot.”

Responding to comments made by former St Kilda coach Grant Thomas on Melbourne radio regarding Matthew Pavlich’s commitment to team success, Grover said he, like his team mates, had the utmost respect for his skipper.

“Does Grant Thomas even know Matthew Pavlich? He can sit back and have his opinion but unless he knows the bloke how is he going to really know what he’s like?”

 “I have got a lot of respect for Matthew Pavlich so there’s no doubt in my mind that he’s a true leader of this football club and he wants to play great football in a great team and a winning team. It’s as simple as that,” Grover said.

Pavlich currently sits two goals off the pace in second spot on the AFL leading goal kicking table with 31 majors from the opening 10 matches of the season. He continued his impressive season on Friday night, again being named in Fremantle’s best with another strong performance across half forward. The 25 year old collected 25 possessions, 13 marks and booted four goals in a dominant display against classy Magpie defender Harry O’Brien.

Grover, himself enjoying a strong season in defence, was modest in his self-appraisal when asked how he thought his season was faring.

The key defender has been given the role on some of the competition’s leading forwards this season and has rarely been beaten. He restricted St Kilda spearhead Fraser Gehrig to just the solitary goal in Round Nine and backed that performance up by conceding only one goal to Magpie Travis Cloke.

“I want to be playing in a good team so I just keep trying to put the performance on the board each week and do my job for the team,” Grover said.

“The backline has been working really well together and we’ve got a good chemistry.”