Bacon, butter and steak fat - the diet of champions.
Well, at least that is what the Parramatta Eels are hoping as they test new waters in their quest to return to the top of rugby league.
Eels prop Tim Mannah has been on a strict paleo diet which has led to his skinfolds dropping from just over 80 to 69, sticking by the dietary requirements handed down by Parramatta physical performance manager Paul Devlin.
"His theory on diet is completely different to all the education we have received growing up in footy," Mannah said. "It's starting to get a lot more popular now. It's a lot more of a high-fat diet, low carb, low sugar. Things like bacon and eggs, the fat off the steak, butter - things that we thought were bad for us - we're getting encouraged to eat that.
"It suits me to a tee. He is all about using organic products as well. I am finding real benefits from it."
Traditionally players had been encouraged to load up on carbs before matches, advice Mannah used throughout his whole career. But since following Devlin's advice he insists there has been a notable difference in his output on game day.
"Even in terms of preparing for a game you used to get encouraged to carb load and eat your bowls of pasta," Mannah said. "I used to eat loads of pasta, toast and everything in the lead-up to a game. We're getting taught now that is the wrong thing to do. Eating a steak the night before and eating an omelette in the morning - it is funny how we have been taught one thing your whole career thinking that is right. I started doing it last year and I felt better last year. I feel even better now."
The Eels also have their own chef who prepares meals for the players, making it a lot easier to consume the right foods. "The whole idea is they are trying to encourage you to eat the way you did 100 years ago," Mannah said.
"It is about the way your body is designed to eat. All the stuff out of packets, your body wasn't designed to eat that."
The Eels now boast a star-studded roster, but they also believe they have the physical capacity to take advantage of the talent at their disposal after a gruelling pre-season campaign.
While most players tend to talk up the toughness of pre-season each year, Mannah insists the Eels have lifted the intensity and saw the statistics to prove it.
"I saw the computer data only last week and that confirmed what I felt," Mannah said. "It's definitely been a higher load, which is what they planned from a couple of years ago. They always planned to build to this year. It's been an intense summer but I think we will reap the benefits of it when the season starts. Brad and his head trainer Paul Devlin - they couldn't just come in the first year and go from where we were to where we are now. Our body's probably wouldn't have been able to handle it. It's been a progression. The way we have trained has been really solid."
His dietary change in combination with an increased training workload comes at a good time for Mannah, who is likely to have to play 60-plus minutes each game this year given the interchange has dropped from 10 to eight.
​"I think most starting front-rowers will have to, which is something I am fine with and excited about," he said.
"I think the way the game is going you're going to have to play bigger minutes. I have changed my body shape a bit. I have remained the same weight but I have changed my diet, I have lost a lot of the fat I have carried over the years. I am hoping that will help me in terms of getting more minutes out."
