Brett Burton is back, but says he has no plans of renewing the challenge for the time-trial title at Adelaide. 

Instead, Burton will watch the players sweat it out from the sidelines in his new role as the Club’s General Manager of High Performance.

Burton, 37, returns to the Crows after five years at the Brisbane Lions. The high-flying forward earned a reputation as one of the fittest players in the competition during his 177-game career, setting the pace in the three-kilometre time-trial at West Lakes.

The two-time Crows leading goalkicker and fellow endurance athlete Nathan van Berlo, who was pipped by Sam Kerridge for the first time over two kilometres last pre-season, were fierce competitors on the training track during Burton’s playing days. The pair has already shared a joke about renewing the rivalry when pre-season starts.

“I did touch base with ‘VB’ the other day when he text me to say, ‘Well done’. I said to him that I might have to keep him honest!” Burton said with a laugh.

“No, the boys probably don’t have to worry too much. I’ve certainly transitioned into post-footy career now. I like to stay generally fit, but I’ll leave the time trials to those guys, that’s for sure.

“I’m happy just to watch and stay on the stopwatch.”

The General Manager of High Performance is a newly-created position, overseeing the physical and medical components of the program.

The South Australian, who joined Brisbane immediately after retiring at the end of the 2010 season, believes he’s well prepared for the job having held the same position at the Lions.

“Previously, the Club has had someone looking after Physical Performance and another person looking after medical, but not someone sitting across both areas,” he said.

“It’s a role that I’ve been doing at Brisbane for the last three of four years and am comfortable doing it. I think (my time at the Lions) will definitely be beneficial.

“When I retired from the Adelaide Football Club and took on the role up in Brisbane, I always wanted to be there for about five years. I think it’s important to experience a program for around about that four or five-year period.

“I’ve done that now, I was in Brisbane for five years and learned some good things. I’ve seen them transition through a few phases and got some good intel, but by the same respect Adelaide has had a really good season from an on-field point of view and always from a results and injury point of view.

“I’m looking forward to coming back and adding a few things, but it’s important not to change too much either.”

Burton wants to help build on the strong foundations already in place at Adelaide.

“I want to take that elite standards mantra to another level,” he said.

“The results have been very good from an injury and testing point of view, so it’s clear that the content of the program from a strength and conditioning point of view is very good. We have a very good medical and sports science team.

“I hope to bring in some new ideas. When you merge the ideas of two programs together, it’s better than one. I look forward to sitting down and having a chat with everyone involved in the program and throwing up some new ideas.”

Burton reacquainted himself with the staff and facilities at West Lakes on Monday.

He’ll start his new role in earnest towards the end of October.

“It’s funny. Five years is a long time to be away, but I was here for 12 years prior to that, so it certainly feels ‘normal’ being back here,” he said.

“There’s been some considerable change around the footy department over that time and with the facilities. It all looks really good and fits in with providing an elite environment for the players.

“I’m genuinely excited about being back here.”

Burton and wife, Jane, are also excited to bring their young family back home to Adelaide.

“We’ve got four kids under the age of seven now, so my wife is certainly looking forward to getting back around my family and also hers and getting some support there,” he said.

“I’m looking forward to the kids trading in their Brisbane Lions jumpers for some Crows jumpers, and coming to a few games.”