As well as devising a tailor-made fitness program for the Coleman medallist, Ryan had to carefully plot venues to avoid the public gaze.

Ryan put Fevola through three sessions a day this week as the controversial forward prepared for his move to the Lions, including a hit-out with Australian boxer Sam Soliman.

Ryan said finding venues in Melbourne for Fevola's workouts had been tricky.

"We have changed locations and started at 6am to try and keep things low-profile," Ryan said.

"On Wednesday we ran around an athletics track and all the little aths kids followed us around. It was like a scene from Rocky."

Fevola told The Standard he had chosen Ryan to oversee the start of his 2010 campaign after the pair became friends while Ryan worked as a boxing coach at Carlton.

"We get along really well. I like his training and choice in coffee," Fevola said.

"I just wanted to do a bit of work to get ready for the season and I really enjoy boxing so I called Rude.

"We are doing three sessions a day about an hour each, boxing and a few running sessions."

Fevola said he would leave Victoria tomorrow before the Lions officially begin pre-season on Monday alongside former South Warrnambool star Jonathan Brown - another of Ryan's high-profile clients.

"I'm looking forward to teaming up with Browny and the rest of the boys," Fevola said.

Ryan said he jumped at the chance to work with the former Carlton full-forward.

"Fev gave me a call and as we get along well I thought we could work well together.

"We have stayed in touch over the last month or so and we were always going to do something so the timing was right.

"Fev was going to come to Warrnambool but in the end we thought it best to be in Melbourne.