There’s so much more that goes into an away trip than meets the eye, and long before the first bounce a detailed operation is in motion behind-the-scenes - including a surprising amount of gear that has to be packed, checked and ready.

For Crows Head Trainer Vinnie Del Bono, it’s a meticulous process of organising everything from medical supplies, footy equipment, and back-up plans, all designed to keep game day running smoothly.

Del Bono, who joined the Club in 1993, gave AFC Media a behind-the-scenes look at the lead up to the team’s pre-season trip to WA’s Mandurah revealing the scale of preparation and the sheer volume of equipment needed to take an AFL side on the road.

Tuesday: Organising supplies and packing begins

Del Bono begins organising each ‘drum’ of supplies, getting ready to load them into the truck.

He will carefully ensure the correct amount of equipment - both footy and medical - is stored inside the drums, and the eskies.

Del Bono said hydration was front-of-mind for the trip to Perth with the predicted forecast being in the 30s.

“Perth being a longer trip and the weather potentially being hot, we’ve got our drums with water - one on the bench, and one in the locker room,” Del Bono said.

“We’ve also got Gatorade bottles in there, too.

“We’ve got main eskies, which will be pre-game, half-time on the bench, and then post-game as well.

“We’ve got dry towels for when the players come in, and we are also taking some wet towels because it’s going to be warm.”

Spare guernseys, socks and shorts are also always packed - just in case.

“Players do ask for things - like if they forget shorts, socks, - they’re the main things,” Del Bono said.

“With the shorts, I bring 10 pairs of each size, and I’ll take 10 pairs of each size of socks.

“Guernseys we take two sets - we always bring emergencies.”

Treatment space is also factored in, with flexibility depending on what the venue staff and hotel offers.

Del Bono and his team also ensure injury management supplies are in the truck, so they’re on hand.

“I’ll take two massage tables on this trip because the hotel will supply some for us, and the ground we’re playing at also has some as well,” he said.

“We take grey boxes with all our medical stuff - trainers gear, some more towels, on-field bags, doctors’ bags, braces for guys in case they break their ankle, casts.

“I usually take four arm slings, two different size moon boots, and four of each ankle and knees.

“We have our rollers as well, so pre-game stuff for the guys’ warm-ups as well.”

Wednesday: Main training at West Lakes (day before players leave for WA)

Del Bono will be at the Club ready early getting sorted to tend to players before and during their main training session.

Post training is spent loading the final supplies into the truck before heading to the airport for a flight to Perth.

“Going early will be me and one of the other trainers, Dan Thomas, and we’ll get into Perth around 7pm, which is about 9pm Adelaide time,” Del Bono said.

“All our gear goes in cargo on the plane, we go to Hanger and it all gets weighed and checked - I’ve got to sign papers and make sure that I’ve packed it and it’s all OK.

“Special boxes have to be labelled as well for batteries, we get them all in one, we’ve got a tag, and we also have to fill paper work out for that as well.”

After arriving at Perth Airport, Del Bono and another trainer signed off on all the gear, loaded it into a truck and drove the one hour to an Airbnb in Mandurah.

“We usually take about a tonne of gear wherever we go,” Del Bono said.

“We pick up a truck interstate and I’ll be driving that. 

“Most of it will stay in the truck overnight and then it will be all systems go the next day with loading everything into the change rooms.”

Friday: Captain’s run at Rushton Park, Mandurah, 10am start

Captain’s run is set to start at 10am, but Del Bono and his colleague arrived at the ground three hours prior to players and coaches to get set-up.

There’s plenty to do from filling up water bottles to getting all the strapping gear out and sorted, making it a busy morning.

“We’re getting all the bottles filled, pumping up balls, and putting out the cones - whatever Nicksy and the coaches need, we’ll have that ready,” Del Bono said.

“All the boxes are labelled, so my staff know what needs to go in there, and what has to be done.

“We are always communicating with Nicksy and the coaches - whatever they need they’ll let me know.

“We usually take 30 cones, four bump bags, we take about 18 footballs, and about 15 bibs if the coaches want to run around in two teams.”

Del Bono said organisation is the key to a trainers’ job.

“Having done this for so long now, it’s second nature for me, but it’s taken a while to be organised,” Del Bono said.

“All the boxes are labelled, so my staff know what needs to go in there, and what has to be done.

“Having trained them up, I don’t have to stress, they’ve got everything covered.”

Post-Captain’s run is just as busy for Del Bono and the trainers who pack all the training gear away and make sure the changerooms are all organised and set for game day.

“We’re pretty fortunate that we are playing where we are training, so it’s a similar set-up so we can get everything ready for the boys,” Del Bono said.

“Once they leave after training, we’ll tidy the change rooms up and get everything sorted.”

Saturday: Pre-season game day v Fremantle

Pre-game

Del Bono now has four other trainers on hand to help during game day.

They arrive an hour-and-a-half before players and coaches, and are busy setting up for the day.

Upon player arrival, Del Bono and his team can be seen rushing in and out of the changerooms, strapping up players and getting them whatever they need to prepare for the game.

“My team fills the water bottles, gets the tape ready, checks the guernseys and waits for the boys to rock up,” Del Bono said.

“As soon as they come in, it’s all about strapping the players, then my team will massage the boys, and then if the coaches need something then we attend to that.

“I have regulars that I strap, Taylor, Rachele, Dawson and Jake Soligo when he’s playing, so I probably strap 12 of the guys.

“The physios would strap some of them and my other trainer would strap five of them.”

In-game

Del Bono and colleague Dave Clarke sit on the bench, while three trainers are on the outer, opposite the bench.

All watch carefully in case any player goes down with an injury or looks like they need something.

“During the game, flat out, doing stuff for the players, massaging them, taping them, whatever they need,” Del Bono said.

“It’s very busy on the interchange, you are constantly watching behind the play and before the ball gets to that play to see if any player goes down, so injuries and that stuff.

“If there’s something that happens at the far side of the oval, I’ve got my staff over there so we can communicate with that.”

Post-game

Del Bono and his team sit in and listen intently to the coaches’ talk to the players - but their work is not done yet.

The trainers don’t hop on the bus to head back to their hotel with the players - but instead stay back to pack up the supplies and ensure the changerooms are left tidy.

“Once the game had finished and the players had finished their meeting, we packed up the truck, and got the changerooms nice and clean so when we leave the people at the venue could say ‘Adelaide Football Club cleans up after themselves’,” Del Bono said.

“An hour after the players left, we finished loading up the truck and went to a laundry mat and did our washing.

“I usually take five trainers interstate and it’s relatively easy because my staff know what needs to be done, so I am comfortable and can do the things that happen on the day.”

Sunday: Travel day

It’s another long day for Del Bono and his team, with the five arriving early to Perth Airport to make for a smooth transition with all the gear onto the plane.

The truck is packed the night before, with an hour-long drive from Mandurah to the airport set to occur.

“We got to the airport early to unload the gear, we need about three hours before our flight leaves so the gear can get weighed and scanned and I can sign off on that,” Del Bono said.

“We then sat in the lounge and had a couple of coffees before we jumped on the plane.”

Del Bono then headed to the Crows’ West Lakes headquarters straight from Adelaide Airport, arriving at the Club around 6pm.

“I was home on Sunday night by 7.30pm after we unloaded and tidied up the boxes - myself and Dan,” Del Bono said.

“If we hadn’t done the washing Saturday night, it would’ve been a much longer day on Sunday.”

Monday: Players’ day off

Following the trip to Perth, players were given Monday off, however Del Bono can be found sitting in his office preparing for the week ahead.

Relaxed and content despite his hectic schedule, Del Bono says he will use the day to “tie up a few loose ends”, before leaving the Club to enjoy the afternoon off.

This week will look a little different for Del Bono and his team, with the Crows’ season proper still being a fortnight away.

But with organisation the key to his role, he won’t be taking the foot off the pedal too much.

“When we come back from interstate, I’d rather get everything done before Monday, because on Monday I have to start preparing for the game the coming weekend,” Del Bono said.

“We have systems in place which work well.

“This week is a good week, I’ll probably play a bit of golf with my kids and try to have some relaxing down time until we get back into it the following Monday.

“It’s a good time to freshen up, recharge the batteries and then you go away.”

Before beginning his role as the Crows’ Head Trainer, Del Bono was Head of PE at St Michael’s College and helped out part-time at the Club.

It’s been almost 33 years since Del Bono joined the Club and he has no plans to slow down.

“Not a lot of people know the process behind the scenes - all they see is what happens over the white line,” Del Bono said.

“Neil Craig offered me a full-time position as head trainer, so I took 12 months off teaching PE at St Michael's College and took the position, and I haven’t looked back since then.

“I love it. 

“The best part is working with the players and trying to get them to the ultimate prize at the end of the year.”