Ahmed Saad busy getting his body in shape for return to AFL stage. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: News Corp Australia
AHMED Saad brushed the dripping sweat from his brow, placed his hands on his hips and leant forward sucking in air as his trademark smile again spread across his face.
Another gruelling upper-body weights session ended as Saad's 817 AFL-listed peers enjoyed their mandatory Christmas break.
On Wednesday, Saad's extreme one-man pre-season will come to a close.
He will return to St Kilda and join its 2km time trial at Seaford 522 days after the last of his 29 AFL games and his 18-month drug suspension was activated.
But instead of meat sweats over the holiday period the goalsneak has been sweating through four weight and three running sessions each week, a rigid workout devised by personal trainer and former Collingwood player Adam Iacobucci.
Saad working hard in the gym. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: News Corp Australia
And while the majority of AFL players are five weeks into their 2015 preparation, Saad is entering his seventh month.
The 25-year-old's second home in that time has been Unified Fitness Systems, a modern and spacious gym enclosed in a warehouse tucked under the flight paths in Airport West.
"It's been tough, but I've been lucky to have Yakka as my personal trainer," Saad said of his solo campaign, banned from having any meaningful contact with the Saints until now.
Saad can't afford an off season break after an extended period out of the game. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: News Corp Australia
"When you go to do the running on your own and you're doing running that's pretty solid and all you have is yourself and your watch … it's pretty hard.
"But I had the motivation that I wanted to get back and that's what I just kept using to push myself."
It's a far cry from club land. No training in Saints paraphernalia. No boisterous environment. No 40 mates in the lockeroom to joke around with. In fact, scarce interaction of any kind.
Saad says time has gone even slower since the December 3 rookie draft, when he was rewarded with a second chance at the Saints.
Saad put through his paces in the gym. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: News Corp Australia
A month before that and he threw in his job at Shaw Stockbroking, trading spreadsheets, margins and dividends for trap bar dead lifts, TRX rows and dumbbells on a full-time basis.
"I'll get here at 9am, do weights for an hour and a half to two hours, have lunch and then go do my running," Saad said.
"Everything we're doing is similar to what I did at AFL level, and that's why my fitness has improved so much.
"I'm still trying to mimic an AFL pre-season, I've just gone for much longer."
The bulked-up Saad — his arms and shoulders are visibly bigger — says he hasn't compromised speed for size but is in career-best condition.
A bulked-up Saad in the gym. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: News Corp Australia
"To get back in a team environment is going to be so much easier on him mentally," Iacobucci said.
"He's significantly improved his strength levels and running times and from what he's told me of the targets he had at St Kilda back in (2012-13), he's exceeded those. He's ready to go."
So, despite no contact with elite sport since mid-2013, is Saad really in the shape of his life?
"Yep, 100 per cent," he swears.
"My 2km time trial and my strength work proves that. We've relayed those to the club and the club was really impressed."
Saints chief operating boss Ameet Bains said pre-draft Saad would only be taken if they deemed him up for the AFL battle physically and mentally after such a long absence.
When chief recruiter Tony Elshaug called his name, he said: "When we drafted Ahmed three years ago, we were excited then and we're just as excited now".
Saad and Iacobucci — former teammates at Carlton affiliate Northern Bullants — worked with Saints coach Alan Richardson during his tenure at the Blues and Iacobucci spent two years under him at Collingwood.
"That's why (Richo) put a lot of trust in both of us," Saad said.
Saad can't wait to get back onto the AFL stage. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: News Corp Australia
Saad said it was a thrill to watch the Saints conquer their membership target of 25,000 before Christmas and for veteran Adam Schneider — his former mentor — to win a place alongside him on the rookie list.
Saad and Iacobucci got the Sherrins out about a month ago with the 25-year-old sharpening his skills and goalkicking routine in a further tease during his troubled chapter.
"I've had a taste of AFL, I know what it's like and these last 18 months have definitely made me a lot hungrier," Saad said.
"If (my first game) is NAB Cup and I kick a goal I hope I don't celebrate too much. I just want to get back into it as if nothing happened."
SAAD'S DRUG BAN SUPPORT NETWORK
Scott Watters (Saad's former St Kilda coach)
Grant Thomas (former St Kilda coach)
Ali Fahour (AFL multicultural officer)
Paul Koutoufides (manager)
George Haros (lawyer)
Elle Saad (wife)
Uncle Sherif Mohamed and his parents
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