It's the secret weapon Brisbane believe will give them an edge in their quest for premiership success.
Broncos players have been trialling a world-first technology, external counter pulsation (ECP), in a bid to help them recover quicker. The device, which costs about $60,000 and is usually only available in cardiac rehabilitation units, is attached to players via pressure cuffs that are placed around their calves, thighs and buttocks while they are sitting on a bed.
The Broncos have been working with researchers at the University of Queensland's School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences to test the effects of ECP, with the initial results suggesting it assists in recovery from matches and training. Wanting to retain an edge, the Broncos have been keen to keep the cutting-edge technology under wraps.
However, UQ's sports science guru and former Rabbitohs strength and conditioning coach Vince Kelly opened up about how the Broncos have benefited from using the machine for between 15-20 minutes at a time.
Winger Jonus Pearson is hooked up to an external counter pulsation machine.
"To our knowledge the Broncos are one of the only sporting teams in the world to have trialled this," Kelly said.
"It's actually pulsating with your heart beat, so it's compressing muscle rhythmically with your heart beat to increase blood flow.
"There has been so much concentration in previous decades around training to get faster or stronger or fitter, that recovery has perhaps been overlooked to an extent.
"The NRL is extremely demanding on the human body and games are often decided in the final minutes, so a team which recovers better than their opponents could find the winning edge."
Squad member Keegan Hipgrave is put through his paces.
Brisbane players first began tinkering with the technology, which is also being trialled to assist diabetes sufferers who aren't getting sufficient exercise, last December. They were split into groups of two, with the first group just using ice baths as their recovery regimen. The second group, who used iced baths and ECP, reported a greater reduction in muscle soreness. There was also a noticeable improvement in blood markers for stress hormones in the off-season, while saliva tests have been conducted during the competition rounds.
"If the players don't think something works, they won't use it," Kelly said.
NRL clubs are always searching for a new gizmos or innovation to get the jump on their rivals. Des Hasler is one of the game's great pioneers, exposing his players to calves blood and beetroot juice as part of pre-game rituals.
The Canterbury coach also introduced his players to Military Energy Gum, which has six times the caffeine of a cup of coffee, in a bid to improve performance. Gherkin juice was spotted on the Manly bench earlier in the year, presumably to reduce cramping, while South Sydney wore Boxa Protocol blood-energising chips and ice fluid treatment under their wrist strapping during their premiership year.
Adrian Proszenko is the Chief Rugby League Reporter for the Sydney Morning Herald.