S3E34 · George Fletcher: Resiliency

We're back Virtus podcast episode eight I believe we will be chopping and changing some of these episodes if it's not eight I apologize read the title. I say this every week every day. I'm very excited for today I'm so excited an illustrious character down on the gym floor here at Virtus one of our clients George Fletcher is our guest for today A lot of people are scared of you George as I just mentioned to you pre podcast But a lot of people don't know anything about you, but like hanging around you that's the general vibe,

but are too scared to talk about you on the gym floor, so That's a little confronting for you to start with and for someone who he doesn't have a watch on today But we're gonna do a heart rate check, but it's it's probably gonna be above 100. Let's be real here George what do you do? What do I do? What do you do for a job? Because you have a very you have a serious job. You have a very professional job Yeah, kind of hey before we get to that. Can we touch on people being scared of me on the floor if I'm not ridiculous Couple of my mates heard that they would be crying on the floor.

I know that too. Yeah, they're confronting character You're not overly scary. You've got a pretty much a puppy face. Yeah, but yeah rumor has it on the gym floor You are everyone's scared you at the start. I don't know what it is You just you get and get it done Which is slightly what we're gonna touch on today of our topic of the day Which is resilience and a bit of background George's done way too heavy to count on two hands. So resiliency in Coming back from injury is obviously something we're gonna touch on a

bit later But also just the void in general and we're gonna touch on kind of how you feel about that But yeah, apparently you're an opposing figure mate. There you go Must have must not have seen you bench yet. That's for sure. Exactly, right But what do you do for a job George? What's a what's a day-to-day look like? Yeah. Oh, I am fortunate enough to work for Coca Cola So I'm a sales manager there they call our old district sales manager. Yeah, so I've got a team of seven Seven reps it. I love your business voice.

Look at this And I'm really really lucky matter got a fantastic team So really experienced team seven guys and girls that have been around for yeah a fair while So that my job pretty easy to be honest, what's it like working at such a big company? That's got its pros and cons It's a good thing. There's a lot of opportunity. So as a young guy, it's relatively ambitious and pretty keen to Be successful as I can I guess Yes, there's a lot of opportunity like we're a global company. Yeah CCEP. We're called so European partners I've told George how to use the mute button.

So he's just used that for the first time. Oh, yeah, excuse me Hopefully we can edit that Yeah, I am Yeah, Coca Cola euro Pacific is what we're called. So plenty of opportunity We look after obviously Australia New Zealand and then Europe and Asia as well So certainly not touching all parts of the world yet, but maybe one day we'll wait and say yeah Who is George? Who is George? hopefully an outgoing Ambitious young guy who's caring loving and fun asked Anna for some background information But didn't get in didn't get a response. She didn't Anastasia So Anna's great.

She's my fiance. We're getting married soon. Yes, it's pretty close. I mean this Is it April April? Yeah, April 15. So the week after he started is a good memory Now this would be out by that. It's everybody. Yeah, this would be out by that. Yeah. Okay, how'd you meet out on that school Anna? Yeah So I met Anna at at school We've been together for yep initial school. So I was in year 12. She was in year 11 in Biz man. Three four it was and she said parents aren't listening to this but I

remember staring another as she walked down the the quadrangle in her bike shorts and We talked about that a little bit And yeah, ever since we've been either for a long long time and yeah ten years. I haven't really learned anything different We've we're really really fortunate to meet each other at such a young age and here we are a month in a month We're getting married which is cool. That's scary. It's a little bit scary, right? Yeah about it Well, the committee pace doesn't scare me because it's like I've been with Anna for such

a long time Anyway, like we've been committed to each other for we've probably known it was gonna happen and come but I guess it's just a Stereo around getting married. Well, why am I nervous? I actually don't really know It's just it's such a big build-up to the day We've been spending a lot of time and and a lot of funds as well that goes into the day So you want it to go really well We're also dragging all of our friends and family away from Victoria destination wedding. Yeah, it is mine It is which we're really excited for but it's it.

Yeah, it's an outlay for all their friends and family So we want it to be a good day. Yeah, what what's the day? Where are you going? It's a bit of background information. I know a little bit but welcome to podcast we talk about what everyone. Yep, fair enough I'm so we go to Hamilton old which is cool. So Growing up. I was really really fortunate that mom and dad Had with a couple of other friends and family had like a timeshare essentially on Hamilton on so I don't know We're the only ones that used to use it.

I think it cost us $40 a night to go and stay there And it was fantastic. We used to go holiday man No, we don't know we don't Yeah Yeah worth going now, I'm unfortunately gonna save you pennies so it's a holidays holidays, so I was expensive, isn't it? But um because you're stuck on an island that I don't miss you there. What are some qualities about Anna that you love? This is early on yeah, and then and then I'll probably start to borrow so she'll tune out I'd imagine What's some qualities that I love about Anna?

How do I put this? I think it's all about this - no, I certainly didn't it probably started when we were really really young and There's a lot of things I love about it, but I introduced her to my grandparents And a nan and Pa went very well And I remember there was a time when Nana had a fall And she sat down next to Nana for geez It would have been like an hour hour and a half and just sat there talking to Nan and trying to comfort her Before the ambulance came and I remember sitting there looking at a guy and this girl's pretty special.

She's she's a beautiful soul and She yes, she's got a lot of amazing qualities. So Outside of you know been a fun vibrant Exciting girl and and and that has a beautiful smile. She was caring for my family as well And that's something that she's really close with her family. She's um Yeah, it got strong family values, which I which I value as well how So you met in school? Mm-hmm what that look like? It was interesting. That's another thing I joke with her a little bit. I got my my license. So I think I

was convenient Yeah, correct I was convenient I was able to drive her around drop her off at parties and all that sort of stuff But um, yeah that always also gave us some time to spend together School we had one class. We didn't have many classes and is a very smart girl. She's very bright. Whereas I'm probably not as broad Yeah, yeah, but not as broad as she sound as a schoolteacher now teaching at the school that we met really which is interesting Yeah, so school we'd spend most lunches together and all that sort of stuff.

I'm still gave her a space She still gave me my space to spend with our own our own friends and then on the weekends It was either at my parents or her parents Was the old-school movie Yeah, we went to movies over we watched. Yeah, correct And then I think I took the bus home So it was before it must be before I got my losses before we actually started dating dating Yeah, that was that's that's a lot that's a long time ago now love that and last before we Drift off into something else. See what's uh, what a proposal they look like.

How'd you spend them at those moves? It's also your man moves hands. I'm trying to you know, yes out here, but on so this is very underwhelming And one of the reasons we're also getting married at Hamilton on so like I said earlier We used to holiday there a lot and I think and I always had this vision that we were going to get engaged on the island Or Whitehaven Beach, so you could go holiday at Hamilton Island and we used to this day trip to to Whitehaven awesome day And I think she always envisioned that but that didn't happen.

We actually got engaged in our front living room. It was during COVID So we couldn't go anywhere. I Had organized some balloons. Will you marry me balloons? Champagne all that sort of stuff. But yeah, it wasn't it wasn't too exciting mate. It was she was teaching in our office at home Drought in the math class. Yeah. Well, it was just by chance I thought she's got she has to sit in that room for an hour. I've got an hour to settle this up Fingers and toes crossed she doesn't come out or else on I'm unraveled So it worked out the kids are the kids kept her in the classroom for long enough.

It was No, they didn't not they didn't this is another thing that I haven't told many people actually and I think she was disappointed about this I didn't say anything. Yeah When I proposed I froze up I was I was really really know that what you did for the first 90 seconds when we sat Down and I just let you simmer it. Yeah, pretty much pretty much Got down on my knee and gave me the ring and I think she was lost. She obviously figured out what was happening Yeah, she was waiting for me to sort of say some really lovely words and nothing really came out Come wedding day, I'll have to make up for early.

Yeah, that's that's gonna be interesting I love to be a fly on the wall or the video footage of that just See you tear up and choke up. And yeah, I think I will actually everyone asked me that I reckon I reckon I will - almost choked up when I am when I asked her father Yeah, it was but it wasn't we were taking the trash out which isn't all that lovely So you've done it in the living room. Yeah, you're taking the trash out then you master. Oh, yes. What's the third? Yeah, well, I

don't know but again look we're in lockdown and we'd snuck around I don't know if I can say that but we'd snuck around Yeah, good. We'd snuck around to her parents. He asked for dinner just to catch up with them I thought shit I have to find some time during this hour and a half two hours away at his house to speak with Gary and He's taking the trash outside Just grab something else. I thought I can take this to recycling. You know, it's in the driveway. I spoke to him It was um, it was it now that I look at it was a laugh But at the time again, I could barely spit anything out.

Yeah, I'm saying a general trend here Yeah, I'll freeze up a little bit. Where's that come from? What do you reckon? I don't know because you're a pretty comfortable competent comes like confident guy. Yeah, I think um, I Think it's cuz I care. Yeah, it is what I think it is I think and I'd like to think that I can find a way to calm myself down and spit it out when it what I need to Yeah, when you really care about something, I guess and you want it to go Oh, yeah, you build it

up a little bit and maybe too much And yeah, you started struggling to get air or struggle to relax a little bit Yeah, you struck me is definitely an energy in I've got like there's a lot of care and effort that goes into anything and everything Yeah, which is I mean, it's amazing quality. It's one of those values that I wish Not on that wish I think a lot of people wish that they could have more care about some things that potentially I don't but I mean you just find it easy, right? Yeah. Yeah, I

do kind of find it easy and I actually think that's and I think we're getting to this at some stage, but I think that's also why I've been really really keen to continue trying to play football or so he didn't say could have barely I haven't played many guys and I've struggled to get out there but When I am out there, I absolutely love it. And in the few seasons that I did play early on it was like It's my outlet. I love being around the football club. I care about it a lot cold hero

from all the courts Yeah, I don't know Yeah, good Yeah, so fingers and toes cross so I can and I'm really confident now and that's a credit to you guys and Then I'm really happy that I found this place and Greg next door the Fizz is a star And then obviously been able to come downstairs and work with you guys has been it's been fantastic Not only for my body, but probably for my head as well. We can't get it out of here. It's great No, you can't very likely here. How did you find here?

different which was refreshing because How long has it been let's just say we're not when I first did my knee That was in 15, I think and then he wasn't a problem locker. I was so anal with my knee recovery It was a full Rico and came back and that was all successful. It was fantastic But obviously things changed and that's when I started doing my hamstrings and then from there I just yeah I continued to bounce and just to try and find something that would work and and I couldn't and I Couldn't trust anyone in the end.

I think for me as well because I do get so in the head about it I needed to find a place what and someone that I could trust so I was up here. I finally got to see Greg Had a like a connection with him whatever on a call and found that he was fantastic and he said might go downstairs Speak with the guys they'll sort you out and straight away. I felt stronger I felt more confident in my body, which is yeah, which is good. What what made you feel like that? What did you need to tick off in your mind to go?

I'm feeling pretty good about this now Yeah, it's a weird thing and I don't know how to describe this But I like through my trunk so knees to my core. I used to always feel really Tight sure tighten and not long like when I feel long. Yeah, that's when I was when I'm confidence. It's not necessarily a strength thing Yeah, I felt yeah felt really tighten there all the time. So that's not the case anymore, which is it's great I love it. It looks even small. Yeah, like I sleep better Yeah, like I don't go

to sleep and I don't wake up and go on my back sore and all that sort of stuff I wake up with bounce out of bed and feel good. I'm probably on my way here What's um, what's or how do we how did we get to that point? So describe kind of like yeah point of seeing Greg Like what did he say? What do you find? What you say for originally is for both hammies, right? Yeah, it was some hamstrings. So we forget the name of the gym in Cranbourne, but they were helping us out I think IFP.

Yes, IFP the guys there were helping us out with Preseason. Yeah, they're running our pro program in Campbell Did my hamstring again during preseason and Campbell said look my income see us you can come see this person you come see this person But to be honest, I recommend that you go and say great. Greg's fantastic. So I reached out Came up in that and that was the start of it Campbell had his own injury problems back in the day that he went through Greg foreign Campbell shadow came he'll he'll love this He's actually meant to come on.

There you go I was talking about it in the episode this morning with him Wallace that he's ditched me like two or three times now So he's due so I'll have to talk about you as well. But yeah, yeah, he went through his own injury problems back in the day He did our internship Was he my motor boy? Yeah Across all mountain bike riding or something extreme sport base. Yeah, I remember the specifics, but he did our internship 20 I want to say like 2015 16 for the first time I mean the one after I

did I don't even be the same one to be honest But he came back maybe a year or two later and did it again Yeah, and then ended up saying Greg and then got his body back into order Yeah a working order. I are there's one thing that I remember from Campbell and he when it's he got a job at IFP He came back in just for a little bit of a hangout. We often do like Intern catch-ups or relive so we go out for a beer or something down the road the brewery some of that No came in one day guys.

I'm gonna put every I'm gonna fill the trap out today I reckon he had at least like six and a half inches of space by the time we clocked himself out It was quite funny gave me the I'm gonna do 250 He he's one of those people that he's great at referring when he because he knows and he's been through that process and I think we're All the same like when we were all coaches because we either failed as an athlete or we weren't gonna make it all we hurt Ourselves. So let's not make that

same mistake and Campbell definitely falls in all of those brackets So he he's very good at referring people through to Greg and things like that. But on the great man Greg What do you what did you find about Greg the first time you saw him? Cuz he's his approach is a little different to a normal physio yeah, I love him and he's so good at what he does but what's in your mind because you've probably seen a few physios and Been through a few things yourself. What was different about Greg that kind of struck you different?

It's hard to remember the first time I went in saw him but I'm always one I Want to understand what what's happened and why it's happened and obviously how to fix it So like in the past you go somewhere like yep. Cool. This is what you've done go do this and this should fix it Just get stronger So, okay great, you know, I've tried that 50 times and here I am I'm still here but Greg seems to find a way to break it down and it's not necessarily for walking And go off mate. I've done

my hamstring So necessarily we're playing around my hamstring It's like well, let's actually break this down and find out why you've done your hamstring is it hips that are that are tightening up? Is it what is it? Is it coming from your back? Whatever it is, and he broke that down for me Which I really really liked and then the connection with you guys downstairs as well. It was a really clear plan and clear path to get things better, which I think is was really really refreshing because yeah, like I said Previous and no knock on anyone else everyone.

It's you know, another physio for someone else might be fantastic But for me it just didn't work and in the past was like right I go to this They're the handball off you go you do your thing, but here it's all sort of laid out for you I feel if you're willing to commit to it because there is the you know, you guys are obviously talking I think you guys have a meeting any once a week with with the fears around particular clients that he might have It's really really refreshing to know that you guys

are a team as well Yeah, and I think a lot of it comes back to a lot of the time as a cause and effect relationship But the effect is never the cause it's never the same So how we approach obviously our screening and stuff here is we use our FMS system We use that whole spectrum of or the continuum of where someone that we do our entry-level test we go left to right That to us is exactly the same as the process that Greg uses which is why between downstairs and upstairs like it's a quite an easy I guess flowing nature of work is He'll tell me George's got XYZ.

He's deficient in this that he needs this done Like it's it's one of those and having the same system and process and objective measure of checking progression Makes for someone like you potentially has had you know bounced off different physios walls and injuries and things like that is whatever Someone thought was the effect of the cause was never really the problem Which is comes back to him talk about your hips in your back and when you get into your glass spine and what? That looks like but it is very much a let's find an accurate

diagnosis first and then let's go from there Yeah, I think the other thing that I've really enjoyed and not that like everyone cares I think all practitioners really really care and I want all of their customers and clients to To be on the men but being here and having a fizz upstairs I see you see him all the time without actually going and seeing him for you know Whatever it may be. I might be downstairs training and he comes down and he's willing to take 10 15 minutes five minutes Whatever it is to have a chat.

How's it all going? How you feeling? We're out with this text You're after a running session text me after a training session. How did it feel? Where you at? Just that extra time and care goes goes a really long way I think and I think that's something you definitely thought I've done especially early days when we were getting you back to run Prior to falling on the shoulder We'll get to that as well when you were Getting back to you running and Greg is very very diligent with his follow-up work like he has again fantastic

systems and processes for him because he's been doing it for so long that People who are in the boat of seeing him get follow-up and check in not a hey, let me know in two weeks ago It's a how'd you go after this now? Which again something that I think Greg deserves way more credit than we give him and we give him plenty of credit But God he's good at what he does. So I was having him next door He's and at times I felt bad like I was texting him like 930 at night Yeah, I feel a little bit sore here.

This is pulled out. Well, this hasn't pulled out. Well and within minutes He's starting the buzzer giving me a text. Give me a call do this do that. Yes. I remember you telling me like Trust me he really likes it. Yeah someone who will get back to you in minutes and you know if people get to me all the time about like the time that I take to reply to some stuff but My thing is like I'll see it if it's urgent bang cut to it He does it all the time if it's urgent or not I have no idea how he does it because it couldn't it exhaust me.

Yeah, I'm gonna would tease always on Yeah, he thrives although he feeds off it again He's someone who very very much cares and has a lot of energy in his practice But also has the back up to continue that process through the whole spectrum of injured to back to continue to perform Yeah, how did? What did he find? What do we find in your first for your and obviously we're talking about resilience. We're building up to Yeah history What did what came from the screens and the sessions from the first things that you were kind of remember and go That kind of makes sense, but I didn't really realize that was a problem.

Um, I don't know if I remember To be honest with me. I think you probably remember more than I would My back was always a problem. Yep Like I laugh about it now, I was never able to touch my toes so general flexibility was absolutely hopeless And that's certainly improved through the roof But the the initial screening I don't remember that the outliers and what was alarming to me I mean because it was always what I had like I didn't know any different I guess and it's the best part of you know The way that

we do things here is if you want to know we'll tell you if you don't we're still gonna fix problem Anyway, and there's one I have a vivid memory of when you spoke about touching your toes or changing I have a vivid memory of the first time you did touch your toes and This was in the first like 20 minutes of me seeing you and you kind of looked at me like fuck Did you just do to me nothing? Just followed the system and off we went stuck a band around your hip and off you

go touch toes a few times and again That just comes back to accurate diagnosis and having some things that we know generally works and we just fill in the gaps from there yeah, and that's the other reason I've Love this place so much because of you see things and if you commit to something it happens. Yeah, which is refreshing Yeah, and you are someone who's highly committed and you came in today and you saw a shit week Yeah, I haven't done much but you play golf a few times you're on chili peppers tonight and you still train three times I mean do it twice trying twice.

Yeah. Yeah, so some people that's a fuck good week to you It's like I kind of want more kind of what more and you're you're a more more guy Which is great as a coach because it's like, okay, how do we feed the base without feeding the beast? Sometimes let's take a little bit away Let's let him bench but because that he gets a bit excited when he benches, but let's just take some pressure off It's funny. So that man and I reckon I've slowly learned over time. Look I didn't train last night for footy

Which is very unusual for me and I feel like I probably probably could have like a pulled up saw from Monday in the past You know, I'll be right just run around and I think that's when I've hurt myself Yeah, and not so much training. But again even coming into some games. It's like probably shouldn't be buying a little bit So but I'm desperate to play and I want to and sure enough I go out there and ping a string Yeah, let's let's talk about this history run a serious imagery history because it's expensive It

is a little bit unfortunately, um So it all started with my left knee when I did my ACL so played junior footy and then never a pollen not at all then didn't play football for a long time, which Regret, whatever happened fell in love with golf started playing a lot of golf, which was cool. That's next. Yep and then and then came back to footy and applied a full a full year my first year back was like like games in the 19s or something and then and then started playing senior footy which was right loved it play the rest of the Year and then started the next season played a full season fantastic thumbs up.

Everything was fine Then the next year I had a massive preseason I was like, I was really dedicated I'd fallen back in love a footy and I wanted to keep playing and yeah Like I said massive preseason my brother had come to play with me and we were really excited to play with each other But also very competitive James is a good shot me. Yeah but I didn't want James to be better than me at the time and and First inch club practice match. I'd gone around a couple and then tried to go around a rockman and my knee just gave way.

I Remember it may was my pain. I've ever been in for like five seconds. I was screaming and yelping Pretty embarrassing now that I think about it at the time. I was yeah, I was carrying on a bit And then and then got up and and practically walked off the ground and I think that's why I was really embarrassed cuz I'm like I was just yelping and now I'm alright. I felt completely fine Not only said anything we had young physios there at the time which is completely fine It's an inch club practice match and you know, no one was really all that confident on what it was So I had to get a scan and yeah sure enough.

My doctor called me and said you've done your ACO. I was crying Just cuz I was so keen and excited to play with my brother for the first year and was really excited and that didn't happen So full Rico, yep, when it all went smoothly And then finally came back and started playing and then played Since 2016, which is our grand final year. I played Round five was my first game back I played a half game in the twos and Then I went to play the week after went to play a full game of the two's got knocked out actually whatever Yep, that happens.

Not it not a big deal. But then after that I said, yeah cool. I'm ready to play some playing Started playing probably played eight games in a row and then did my hamstring on my right side I've never done a hamstring before and I actually did it training which I'd which is very rare I don't often when I do them now. It's always drink it again. Yeah So did a train didn't we think anything of it? I've never done one before like I said actually played on that Saturday in hindsight the stupidest thing ever right like how ridiculous Yeah, but it was Sean paces 300th game.

We're playing against Caulfield who one of the top sides as well And if we lost by two points, we flew home. I did nothing. I was useless shouldn't applied Took a week off They came back and was fine. So I played the rest of the year played finals to play in the grand final We lost and it was and it was all okay. And then right after that almost loose loose trying to thought of how many hamstrings I've done lock off. I don't think I played the year after we went up to premiere B. I didn't play around one I probably played round five did it?

Did it again and again and again and was always this right side. So left knee right side Continued to do it. It's probably two three years of that and then Came back got my body really fit and I thought I was in a really good spot Again pre-season fine got my change of direction back and it was more confidence in because I had done my knee And the way I'd done my knee was just a sidestep. So I'd lost that confident But I'd got that back and then went around someone at training and did my right knee.

Thankfully wasn't a full Rico It was just my meniscus But again, look I've lost a little bit of confidence probably lost a little bit fitness cuz I had to have the surgery and stuff And then finally came back from that and then started doing my left hamstring last year So what five or six years of yeah, what's the count? Do you know the count because I remember you tell me at the star but I can't remember specifics I don't make but honestly you could it'd almost be 20 times I think it was 20 or 24. It's somewhere in that.

Yeah came in I thought fuck we gotta fix this and it's funny when you first said that I've had someone before in the similar boat to you And hasn't done one since That I know of at least because I don't work with him anymore, but I was like, yeah, here's another one Yeah, but it's one of those things that you're like, I know I can make you a change for you Yeah, I know you're crying out for help. So I was like, I'm fine. I'm in Samia And that was the other refreshing thing about this because you guys had a lot of confidence around it as well Yeah, it was it gave me confidence, right?

Yeah, it was good. Yeah, it did you didn't very very early on and You'd know when going into a new environment whether it's work gym anything go out for a beer like it's it's new It's a little bit all kind of don't want to stick my head up. You're very You someone who once you warm up like you're infectious like you you protrude that on other people Which is fantastic and people love having you around here for that reason But the first few weeks I could kind of tell you like I just don't want to like annoy you know, I don't want to And so like we're trying to curate that and just kind of like George relax.

We got you Yeah, and the I remember the first few times and you know, we just like about you touching your toes before I and it's something that I really enjoy doing with people who come with back happy knee all sorts of even like young kids like when's the last time you touch toes and For us like it's the change behavior. It's easier than it seems For someone who hasn't touched their toes for 10 15 years they go It's gone about he can't do that 20 minutes touching toes And of course that doesn't always happen

But for you, I remember going like if this happens and he gets to this so many hammies if he gets to touch his toes before he walks out the door in the first week like he's in like he's he's in and Lucky enough that did happen sure enough. Thank you But yeah, it's one of those things and you know, we're gonna talk about resiliency in a minute after we talk about golf because good golf things It's one of those things that once you find something that or someone that helps you move the needle forward And

you especially that you are so infectious you go Yeah, I mean here I'm 110 percent in and that's I mean that's the best part about being an athlete because you are still an athlete Not that you'll call yourself on but being an athlete is so diligent around their performance and preparation like for us That's makes our life so much easier, which is the best. Yeah, and for me it's a trusting right? I trust you guys Yeah, which is cool because we like you said we have been able to move the door and see the needle move Which is yeah as a like I said as an athlete.

It's a trust and yeah, so hopefully 24 and done. Yeah, exactly, right Now I've got a lot of faith. They're dumb what I'm talking your shoulder Yeah, we can talk the shoulder if we want we finally got him back. We got him back Yeah, I was I was finally back playing some footy was exciting Yeah, and I you don't know this because I didn't tell you but I was actually gonna come down there That day and I didn't make it and I was real flat about making and then when I got the text later of the photo And for reference George did it basically a great three and a half?

AC joint which is if you see a photo one Google it George. I put a photo in right now I might input your photo and I think I still have it. It's uh, it's not confronting but it's not pretty to look at It's not too bad. Yeah, what you are. How'd you go about dealing with that? At the time so me and Tom so Tom's my co-captain at the club and after the game Really odd none of us showered. That's very rare But we had our we were playing like a good hour and a half

away and we had our ball that night So everyone's we had to pack up and go pretty quick And Tom and I and I was the last to leave because it took me forever to get changed and get my jumper off It was a nightmare and not to get my tape off because I did tape it up and ran back out there Stupidly got away with it was fine I Know that by the way. Yeah. Yeah, I was a close game. Look we eat that one from me. Yeah, we did We struggled we struggled last

year unfortunately, and it was a game that we should have won I think we lost by 14 points and and I wanted to get back out there. So Checks out. I get it it is But Tom and I actually laughed about it on the way out. I said, you know, I looked at him I said at least it's not my hamstring mate And he has yeah good point. It's good way to look at it. And that was how I was trying to sort of yeah Make it a ball put a positive spin on it Yeah, and it was really just a freak football accident like this could have happened to anyone.

It wasn't a very common movement Yep, exactly. Right. Like I tried to take a mark stupidly intake the mark and then dive forward to try and get on the second grab and just It obviously popped out as a pretty firm deck Yeah, that was the other thing though when it happened I actually didn't know I'd done it like yeah still ran around for five minutes Yeah, and I remember you being pretty nonchalant about like hey, I'm pretty sure I like cook my shoulder here But I'm not really sure on these seven photos like do that's that's bad.

Yeah, and because I've never done anything Like any other part of my body besides my knees my hamstring it sort of reminds me when I do my hamstring for this time Right, like I did my hamstring. I had no idea that I'd actually done I went and played on the Saturday just because I was not in the wiser I guess really similar with my shoulder because I still had because I was one probably running on a journal and into also warm I still had range of motion. I could practically get it above my head still That was the right or wrong thing to do.

But yeah, it was still felt all right at a time That's so soon as it frees up. It was a different story. We're at now with it in a really good spot mine. It's fine It's completely fine. So for football I should probably tape it up. I've been told and and that's it So it doesn't doesn't bother me. Yeah It was never gonna be concerned for football. The only concern I had was golf I was worried that was going to impact my golf game and it obviously did for a little bit I couldn't play it was yeah, it's bad time to be George cuz I was one a lot.

Yeah, it was Getting new clubs all sorts of stuff. Yeah. Yeah, you want to talk let's talk about your golf career before we are talking about how you come back from everything but golf career told me about it because You're a star you are So far from the golf start on the you were club golfer. No, you would yeah, I've seen the plaques the plaques How'd you starting off like what's was golf always a sport your high school your deep dive did it come from parents? Environment like what's what got you started in golf? Yeah

a bit of both So my grandparents my grandfather's played a lot of golf and and dad did as well and my older brother So that sort of got us into Golf a little bit funny story. Actually, we lost dad's James and I lost dad's hole-in-one golf. Yeah, you told me about this Yeah knocking around the backyard Poor old boy was pretty grumpy with us And then I remember in junior school there was like a like any small thing. I just throw my hand up and want to do it In junior school and it's like his golf day at Mornington.

I said, alright, I'll go along and I use Nana's golf clubs for the day and it was yeah, I really enjoyed it and loved it and then Whilst I started to lose, you know, my love for footy a little bit But oh, okay. I'll go play some golf and and I was addicted like I wanted to be though. He's too big mom And dad to drop me off for the golf club I said leave me like drop me off at seven pick me up at seven. I'd stay there for 12 hours to play 36 holes

I'd practice and just yeah, I loved everything about it was really challenging you competing with yourself which for a period was a good thing And then in the end it probably unraveled me to be honest. Yeah, what's um, what about so golf is and the female population gives us men shit about being so obsessed with golf and it's It's a very interesting dynamic because it's one of those things and until you do it You can't I find it really challenging to explain why I really enjoy golf And it's hard to articulate like what about it

is so interesting and you talk about the competitive with yourself And I don't know for me trying to hit a ball 400 meters in a hole. That's yay big Like that's I love that fine motor skill type thing for golf But what what is it for you that makes you obsessed with golf or made you obsessed with golf? Was a young age it was a new challenge That was the exciting thing But one of the other things I love about golf is like you can stand on the tee next to Tiger Woods Wait, the two

of us could stand next to each other I can hit a short he could hit a shot and I could hit it closer than him you could do the exact same thing anyone can do the exact same thing, but the challenge is to be able to do that for 18 holes and 65 shots or whatever whatever you you know, I'm 65. Oh, certainly. I'm not sure But that's like we can all do it Yeah it's just a matter of trying to be able to do it again and again and again and I think that's why I got so Addicted because I knew I was capable of it.

I just wanted to be able to master it That's what every golf is trying to do trying to master it. It's just a tough game to master Yeah, and I say this all the time is golf is not a sport that you get better at you get less shit hundred percent yes, when you think about it like the the I Mean that the differences between good and bad in golf are very very minute but also a good shot can be a bad shot depending on what you're looking at or where you're going to so like

I think I enjoy that challenging aspect of it is it is too hard to get really good at it for me Who's the casual golfer at best, but it's one of those things that I just want to get better at it Yeah, you hit the nail on the head though like The difference between a good golfer and a bad golfer is they're bad shots There's like I just said we can all stand on the tee and we can all get a really nice shot Then the bad ones aren't that bad for the good golfers if you are to compare yourself to a golfer who I?

I've been told Justin Thomas like I'm we're not talking. We are not talking low rounds or anything like that We're just talking someone who thrashes at the thrashes the golf thumb and goes after it. That's Two-bit humorous. Yeah, little bit cheeky. Yeah, a little bit. I'm very cheeky on the golf course with with particular mates Yeah, which I enjoy it's good What's up, so you said just before we started here that you fell out of love with footy and golf kind of picked that up Did you being obsessed with golf help hinder your love for footy or is it just you need you found something else?

I think I just found something else A new challenge something different. Yeah And I learned that I was gonna be okay at it as well I think that helped like when you know, you're gonna be if you put some time and effort into something and you know There's a reward potentially at the end Did I get the reward? No, no understand. I didn't really know what the reward was gonna be But like I knew that I was gonna be a ride of it So yeah, it did probably feel a little bit of a void what that what's excessive you have with golf This is embarrassing.

No, that's not this is I want to pry into this because you're not someone who celebrates his successes publicly Oh because there's nothing really to celebrate Being good at something is it's pretty successful. Yeah, I well, I played a lot of pennant at Mornington which was cool and I was two-time junior club champ there which was which was exciting And really mate, that's it. Like there was some cold pennant at Peninsula. Yeah. So yeah, like I said nothing Nothing that exciting From the outside looking in there like that takes a bit of work. It did

well it didn't feel like work though because I loved it and I and I was like I said like begging my parents to drop me off at the golf course so I Could so I could practice all the time. It certainly didn't feel like that. I used to work there as well I'm so through school and through The first half of uni I used to work in the Mornington Pro Shop with Michael. Michael frames is a really good man. Good fella and and the Mornington Golf Club is a really good environment great bunch of members,

you know all local to there a majority of them are local to the area and It was a bit of like a community feel there. I guess yeah, and I we played golf at Mornington once and You could have sworn this man's a celebrity three people come on gay George ego and I you know, it's this What's going on here? You're up on the shields. You're friendly in the Pro Shop. I was like, geez What am I got myself into here? Yeah, like I said a good bunch of people are they really good bunch of people just do what?

It's do what? Hole in one count any no, no, no hole in once that is boxing that is off. Yeah multiple times. I've been very close. So Yeah, I would love to I would love to take that box and it has to be official so I you could argue that I Have had one But it's not not in comp or anything like that. It's not an official scorecard. So It's where the serious part of George comes in. Yeah, that's one. That's one. That's avoided me Want I've got a close path raise at the band of my existence So I I'm happy to slash one down the path by four five five.

Yes All in time and you know what your every chance and I shouldn't say this but it shits me that there are some people That you know their first time playing golf or their first competition They'll go out and have a hole in one and I've been trying I've been playing golf for years and years and years I used to play let's play every day if I could and I still haven't had one so Chances are mate. You'll have one before me What's uh, what's golf look like now for you? I love my golf now

Not that I fell out of love with golf But I used to we got to a point where I probably wasn't Maybe I could have improved more but I had to put a lot of time and effort into it and I see it too frustrated Not like I wouldn't say angry or maybe a little bit angry Yeah, but very very frustrated and then just I started to lose the the love for it a little bit it became too serious Yeah to a point because I was sort of going what do I want to do? Do I do I do a traineeship do I try and become golf pro or do I you know go and do something else and?

It obviously just decided to not go down that path. So now I don't take it as serious I'm not as good a golfer as I used to be so I still find a little bit frustrating because I think about what I used to be able to do with a golf ball and now what I can do but Yeah, it's a lot more social now for me and I go out there and I I don't care as much About the result. Yeah, I certainly do but not as much. Yeah, what our club you remember? Pinchla Kingswood, yeah, really really fortunate to be there glorious place.

It's beautiful place. Yeah, so I fell into that Whilst I was taking golf pretty seriously Michael who was coach at the time said go join pinch law 36 holes. Yeah early days for the early days Yeah, I know very very lucky night and then I was close to getting rid of it actually because the family So dad my uncle's and my powers is no longer with us, but power was member Kingston eighth So that was sort of where I was always gonna go and play my golf and I thought I'll I'll go join I'm at pinch.

I'm not using it I'm not really getting any use out of it and then the merger happened with Kingswood And Michael still stating staying contact with Michael Michael said my thing this place is gonna be pretty special would be worth hanging on To and I'm glad I did because it's yeah, it's pretty special I've now played there once oh man loved it pull myself on the waitlist after actually. Yeah, you're in the way Yeah, I'll be there five years. Oh good names Hopefully I'll be more set up when that comes around. Yeah. Yeah, that's the thing.

It's the initial It's the initial whack that they give you now. You can't pay it off over time though. I believe so join you love it Oh, it's got there. It's unreal. Yeah, it's got I mean Very lucky to play there been kind of put me on after we finished up at our last season at saints And I mean I'd slapped and tickled around actually to be fair the front line. I actually played it right and then I didn't really get a Forecast what was coming and the North gothic PK really kind of ate me and spat me out.

Yeah, it does get hard Well, I've played with you and you can hit a ball as well. Yeah, it's getting there, but I Think I lured myself into a hey, I'm playing a ride today feeling and then yeah, 10 to 14 really spat me out I think I went through in like six or seven over through those four holes and I was like, oh it's downhill from here And then also, you know, it's golf like you started in like shit. Then you hit a more shit. Yes. You just get frustrated Yeah, you lose interest just slap them down the fairway and you end up on two fairways over and Your three-part and you're like, yep.

Yeah another day. I'm done. Yeah, I want to be yeah, what do you are? What's your dream? You know, what's your favorite cause you ever bite actually before I ask that question? favorite cause Question mate Kingston eighth growing up was always my favorite Family connection, I guess and pretty special play something. It's been rated number two in Australia for a long time It's somewhat raw Melbourne West Coast. Yeah and that still is it's lucky enough to go to King Island and play Kate Wickham with the old boy and my brothers that was Special and we

were so lucky with the I've seen a photo from that day actually Yeah, we were so so lucky like not a breath of wind which is very rare over there So that was pretty special the alums Hamilton on golf course terms of actual pure golf. The golf course isn't that flash? That's Still great, but the views like every hole you've got. Yeah, you're overlooking the wits our days. It's it's pretty special So I'm really giving you an answer that have I love that. No, it doesn't matter. It's podcast. Do you want? Yeah There's a few

I'd love to go play overseas James and I actually some my brother when we went to South America We played the world's highest golf course in Bolivia That was pretty cool. And because the air's so thin, yeah all goes miles. Let's feel good about yourself. Yeah Yeah, and I told us that they said all you'll probably hit it further than what you normally do Yeah, right. Oh, whatever then you get out there and sure enough the boys. Yeah, it it hums Yeah, it was cool. It was it was pretty cool. Well, that's what's what's Apart

from the obvious view like what's the course you really like to play that you that you've realistically have a chance of playing Cuz hey, we'd all love to play Augusta, but is that gonna happen? Probably don't know Carrie cliffs in New Zealand. Yeah, that'd be cool Yeah, do you feel like Gary Lisbon golf on the screen? I don't know Happy - oh, I got it. I got a page for you So the guy takes like stills and drone photos of golf courses around the world. Oh, it's pleasure into the I take that much There you go.

All right, you know later Perfect. Um, where else? Don't know my now New Zealand there's a few there's a couple of in Australia that I'd still love to Tick off like New South Wales Golf Club Is pretty special. Yeah, I'm so I'd love to go there and we're really fortunate at PK that we've got a relationship So we can go there's just a matter of pulling my finger in. Yeah and going to Sydney So there's that's I'd love to play some not golf as well. I've never played not golf but knock off in Dubai So yeah in Dubai, so Anna and I actually a part of our honeymoon on the way home We're staying to buy for four nights.

So there's an opportunity. So yeah I think it'll be all right. I'm gonna be all right. Yeah, and I loves just sitting by the pool and reading your book So that's it. Yeah, she can do that and I get bored within ten minutes of doing that. So I can't do that Yeah, hopefully I can go and run off to the golf club Well, if you are if you need a trip at the end of this year I'll be heading to the u.s. And play some golf over there my oh, yeah That'd be the thing that the u.s.

Is I like something like Pebble Beach or something would be unbelievable It's just the expense of getting over there and applying. It's just same as many other places, but Yeah, I was watching video that I then they pay what they paid 400 bucks. I think to get on. Yeah, did you spyglass? Yeah, that'd be u.s. - yeah. Yeah. I mean the like that's one of those things that I wasn't it's gonna sound strange So I don't know if I've told you have I told you I'm going on the States in India You'd have to be it.

Don't worry. It's fun Yeah, so I'm going it's kind of three or four months. That's where I'm heading over and I When I was kind of thinking about I'm only just started thinking about because it's still fair way way It's not one of those things I was thinking about and then someone's like are you gonna go play golf over there? I'm like, you know what? I wasn't but I think I have now and I don't know Do I want to trip my golf clubs over there? Probably not don't hire any probably not So I'm gonna get over that hill.

I think I reckon you well the u.s. Is a hike but My this is domestic flight. So it's a bit different, but I always want to have my own golf clubs I know I know and I just got new ones too So it's like I want to go use something like the rental clubs over there a different ballpark to what we get over I'm sure they're good. Yeah Public isn't it? Yeah So it's one of those things that I hadn't thought about until someone mentioned it the other day and I thought Well, I'm in some strife here.

I reckon because got some time to fill in three months So that might be on the list. So yeah three months a long time to hockey golf clubs around that's that's another thing It's like yeah, I'm gonna want to do a bunch of hikes and some other like adventure based things It's like I just don't think I can bring myself to bring my clubs over. But yeah knowing me I just kind of adapt and work it out and if it's difficult, well you signed up for that So I reckon the other thing when you go

and play overseas or somewhere new you sort of take away the performance of it You just want to enjoy the the course the new layout and like you said it's something different yeah, and I'm I'm actually going and planning to go with a couple of mates who are in like media and photography and videography, so Kind of like what my own stuff over there cuz you want to look yeah You know, it's like you don't play golf shitty scrubs. Yeah, correct. What's uh, I mean, what what's your dream? What would you like to achieving coffee you haven't Just as like a hobby now Oh Holland mightn't be cool.

Yeah Maybe if I could take it seriously again, and this won't happen till I stop playing footy sure Cuz golf goes completely out the window come footy season. I'd love to win a club championships somewhere, but I won't be able to do that There's no way I'd be able to do that pinch. I like there were that many talented golfers there You'd have to be off like plus five plus six. Yep, sort of sort of range. So are you off? I'm off seven now still not not a terrible might but that's just gone like that's just gone out and out and out and out What were you off at your peak?

One point six. I think was the lowest I got to so bad Yeah, it wasn't too bad. But that's that's what I was saying. I like you were 16 or something. They're right. I was pretty young Yeah, yeah, but then that's when I used to get really frustrated like to to move the dial then was I found it so hard Yeah, cuz the moving the dial especially if we talk about handicapped like takes a while to get your handicap down like that Yeah, yeah, it does and now like I remember getting down to three and

four and then to move the doll for me down to what I got down to so 1.6 was like really challenging and Then to get it down to like one to plus one or even scratch is just an another realm and then scratch to plus four That sort of realm is just complete. It's almost a different game. Yeah, anytime you get into the pluses like yeah You hit them are proper golf. Yeah It's just a different ballgame like yep I don't have a handicap cause I'm back going back and signed up at a club yet, but I'd be off 16 Probably somewhere around there and like the thought like I want to get it to like tent.

Hmm. I'll be happy that'll do Yeah, I know by golf as a junior like I played a bit my old man played a little bit in high school But again, it wasn't that serious played at Long Island back in the day because Frank's another relationship with Long Island So it's just like one of those things that I want to get better at it But I was someone who will play golf four times in one week and then life will take over and won't play for another two Weeks. Yeah, which is sucks And I think the

other thing I enjoy about golf and I don't feel the same like it's still physical activity like it's it's harder than it seems a Hundred percent is even if you take a card to be fair like yeah, it is still harder than it seems Yep, we got to walk around one cool, but it's more the mental thing Yeah, you mentally switched on for four and a half hours like you trying because you're thinking we probably shouldn't think as much Maybe that's the problem. I think that's my problem. I think too much because even though again, I'm not great I still want to get better.

Yeah, that's so bad. Yep Yeah, but you switched on for as long as you you know You can yeah and all it takes is one shot where you're where you're not switched on and then you game over and stuff Yeah, exactly. Yeah, the pitching wedge follows it pretty close after that. Great. I am I mean you still carrying 10 11 K like you're walking a day. Well, it depends how bad you play I guess 12 12 and a half. Yeah, I guess yeah, I think an average golf course is around seven and a half K Yeah, I'm guessing now, but I'm pretty sure I'm doing these ones.

Yeah, if you're doing that you're in Yeah, I guess you're walking more typically. I'm just following the right side of the fairway because haven't drawn a ball in my life So, yeah, yes the old cover drive. It's those old fellows that the 180 straighties They're the ones that 180 straightie haven't heard that I've never heard that Yeah, right go I guess you probably haven't played with a lot of old members Not really when I was playing a lot I used to I'm working the pro shot We're sort of encouraged to try to play with members

and stuff, which is great so you get to meet everyone and You play with a couple of the older guys and it creates in there still out there doing their thing and obviously aren't as strong and Flexible as what they used to be and punch it down the fairway 180 straightie and it was that every 18 holes is boom. Boom. Boom. I love that. Yeah scrap I'm gonna have to make something of that. You see them. I've carried your party pump into some of my exercises there Yeah, so you introduced me to the word party pump.

Okay, it's uh, oh good I never heard of it and it must be a potential thing. Oh, yeah, I Never heard of you came out one day. I was can I just do it party pump. Fuck some party pump yesterday Yeah, there you go. That's make I have to make a graphic for you for it. Yeah, good I might come in Saturday morning for a party pump. Actually, there you go. Quotage underneath and just to credit you. Yeah. Thank you Please do What's I was gonna ask some of you about golf now, but now it's

eluded me What do I what do you want to do with I mean like a hobby wise so golf is a hobby But what do you like to do and I like to ask this question? What do you like to do after dinner? Because someone who's you're highly active, you know, you're like an ever-ready bunny. What do you do to slow down? It's really funny. You say that so my nickname dad and mom called me ever ready Yeah, please to run around like a mad here checks out. Anyway, it's a story for another time Um, what I like to do after dinner, well, it probably depends on Like how busy work is things like that.

So potentially I might have to play a laptop and do some more work It's not necessarily what I like doing. Yeah Probably just relax with Anna and to be honest Hopefully we've got a nice series or something that we're enjoying watching and the two of us can just chill out and and do our own Thing what are you watching? Really watching anything in my maps Which you know, I'm a little bit in and out at the moment with footy training So I'm not all that disappointed if I miss miss maps, but you can tell me

the truth my door Oh, I'd be lying if I said I don't sit there and watch it But yeah, I haven't been able to fully buy in yet, but I will trust me yeah, yeah, I reckon you would enjoy shit TV Yeah, well I like TV for me and movies for me looking at there's some people that can quote movies all the time Yeah, this line that line. I know nothing. I watch movies, but I think a movie for me is just an opportunity shows It's just an opportunity to switch off and and do nothing and relax.

I'm not I'm not taking it all in I'm enjoying it, but I'm not taking it. I'm saying I'm I mean lucky comes out with some movies sometimes and I'm Quote something or it's like the old Adam Sandler movies lucky loves them was like dude. I haven't seen half from like one before my Time - I just just don't remember yeah, so you're honest, and I won't be unraveling myself here, but people ask me my movies I don't like yeah. Yeah, honey. I you should know I'm honest to a fault yes, correct Very love it. I'll hide it.

Yes. It's what you get. It's good, but no I I'm the same boat I really enjoy movies and TV shows for just like switch off time and a lot of the time I reckon I get through a Like let's just TV show I get through five or six episodes. Yeah, nobody would just happen hmm like oh that had that just yeah I'm saying I just I enjoy it as a switch off time which is a luxury that I don't Spend another not enough time doing I reckon but what what something like that for you that

you wish you could do more of or you want to do more of but you've Just you just don't Until I ask you the question about what you want to do more Something I love doing it's I find I get to do it on a Sunday often before golf actually So we don't get the paper delivered at home or nor do I buy the car the paper, but I love having coffee And read the paper unless I read the paper. I often flick it to the sports section Don't we all and I'm yeah, and I'm

and I'm going through a couple of articles that I like, but that's again That's half an hour 45 minutes 15 minutes Whatever it may be that I can just sit there and not think about anything turn the phone off put the phone alone or ignore It just and switch off so this that but all he might all come here And and you know again switch off 45 an hour Aaron 15, whatever it is I don't have to think about anything besides working out and having a laugh with everyone on the floor Yeah What's something you

love about the gym now that you've you know curated a pretty good relationship with it that it's not just fix this Boring this like what's because you love it. Yeah. I don't see you puffing you just a little bit All the people are fantastic are they like I think a lot of gyms talk about like a community and and all that sort of Stuff that's the cliche thing to say, but there's probably gin there is generally that yeah, that's a credit to you guys But you come in with a smile because you know everyone else

is going to be in that sort of that mood and with a smile and You can interact with everyone you can have a laugh whilst at the same time. I Can come in here and do my thing and and get it done which I enjoy as well because there's people in here and serious Athletes that are here with a purpose and and and getting something done and those that potentially aren't athletes. They just want to stay fit You know, they're going after it as well, which is great But there's a good balance between getting it done properly and then that fun aspect as well ever lived.

I Want to say I don't know I think it would I think normally you would say bench right? Yeah, normally I would say but most beneficial now You can use your legs. Yeah, most beneficial. I think for me is a hip thrust or front squat Yeah, you love both. We're so back with everyone else, but I love that you love them Yeah, like I feel my back always feels so much better after them Yeah, I probably should I'll have to say bench I think I enjoy it and we're starting to get back to some numbers that we Were back to the shoulder.

Yeah, it's good. What what are you looking forward to? I'm looking forward to footy. Yeah, because I've got some confidence which is cool mate. So I miss I miss round one for the wedding Yes, I went down like a lead balloon And I'm taking away. So my co-captain Sean will be away as well. He was his son's playing so he'll probably be on the trip So there's a few of us are going away. It hasn't worked out all that well, but um Yeah, really excited for round two, which is a home game and we've got our legends game on after that as well So I'm all the oldies run around we turn the lights on and they play a game.

So they'll all be there watching and My I cannot honestly cannot remember the last time I got through a full game of football without hurting myself I'll be there touch wood that that is legit. Like I cannot remember a game I'll be there so that it that'll be yeah, that would be something for two. What else? I'm at my wedding. I'm getting excited. We touched on it earlier. Whilst there's a little bit of nerves. It's also really exciting Obviously the day will be really really special and I get to Mariana which is something that was

always gonna happen But to lock it in is pretty cool But to also be able to spend that time and be on a holiday with all of our closest family and friends Yeah, I think it's pretty special like I I probably won't ever happen again to be honest Whilst you think it will and you want it to like to have all of your closest friends and relatives in one place At Hamilton on which is a pretty cool destination where you think well for us it is Yeah, we're we're we're pumped we're absolutely pumped and a lot of our friends so some of them old and they've all got kids They're leaving their kids at home as well.

So they look at yeah, they're really excited. Yeah, so it'd be good You've met race haven't you? I haven't race. Yeah Asking me a few things about letting his hair down. Okay, so does those kids go home and the wife goes home? He's easy. He's good at it. He won't listen. This doesn't matter. Okay, I just have to he's got some stories for you I'll ask you example come a folk 10th birthday party on Sunday night at common folk - the man was hungover till Tuesday from all The courts right? Wow, so I can I can understand where you're coming from.

Yeah, letting the head down Yeah, all right. Shall we shall we drift off we can all right Resilience you tell me the day I don't know if you thought you were gonna talk about this Because you were kind of struggling like dude. I don't know what I'm gonna talk about Like what are you gonna talk about for now, but hey, guess what? We're 50 probably 56 ish 57 minutes in and I probably didn't think you would so you probably didn't think you'd get this far but when I Obviously I asked you to come on first

voice said yes straight away, which I was like, oh best ever second of all I said we're gonna talk about a topic and I know that you like to I don't know what I'm gonna talk about like Not that interesting typical George deflecting comments but from the outside looking in and it's something that I highly admire and lots of other people in the gym admire you is for your resiliency and obviously we spoke about your history before like What what does the word resiliency mean to you? Because I think naturally you're someone who Protrudes this and shows this other people you don't necessarily mean to to an extent like it's just who you are Yeah, I think that's the thing.

It's it's it's me. So What does it mean to me? I? Find that really tough to answer good. Yeah, let's be honest Because like you said might I think it comes naturally to me and that's just who I am So I've never really known any different. Yeah, to be honest. Yeah. Where do you think that comes from? Oh, I don't know I'd imagine it's come from my parents and an upbringing and from my grandparents as well and Growing up. We were sort of always always told the and get given everything, you know I'm one for not not giving away participation awards Like you gotta earn it right?

You know if there's a winner and there's always a loser is there's two things and and you have to earn something and Whilst maybe I'm going the long way around it Like for me a goal at the moment is coming back and playing a full game of footing and winning, right? So to do that, I need to get my body right and if my body fails me well, I lose And if my body gets through well, then I win that's good. Let's go the other way. What made you keep coming back? So quite easily after you know, you could have shut up doors, right?

Yep. What what made it to you go? No, I actually really want to come back from this. Oh, I love it. I love it But the three quarters that I played last yeah before I did my shoulder I had a ball. I had an absolute ball. What do you love about it? I don't think about anything else besides football and being out there with my mates and It's a very made orientated club, right? Yeah, it is. Yeah. Yeah, it's probably different I'd imagine I've never been part of an MP NFL club, but we don't pay

anyone Yeah, I'm so you're there for what I call the right reasons Yeah Yeah, we're we're all there for the right reason so not to say the bikes that are getting paid on but Yeah, we just enjoy each other's company and we love playing football together And then I reckon that counts for a lot I think that's a huge thing about being part of like a Vafa League club is a lot of the people that play at that Club went to the school. Yeah, there's a few and there's also a lot that aren't So you

don't have to have gone to the school to play at the club But yet there's a few of us that have come through school together and we obviously know each other So it's not just a bond that we've had after joining the football club Essentially after school after year 12. It's also prior to that as well. What do you enjoy about being diligent? Cuz I know you take the same approach to your Training rehab, whatever you want to call it as you do to your job as well. So what yeah What's the most appealing part about that for you?

I think it gives me confidence What aha? It gives me more a little bit more confidence because in the past of like I haven't had a lot of confidence and faith in my body But I thought that hard. Yeah. Oh, it was it was terrible. It's probably half the reason I kept breaking down. Yeah But I tell myself if I'm really diligent and I do everything I can and I do what I'm told essentially You guys are giving me this do this this this and this if I do it and I do it at a

hundred and ten percent well, then It's not my it's not that it's your fault, but I can't I can't I can't do anything else Yeah, so like I said, it gives me confidence I do it, right I this I've done everything I can now I get to go do the fun bit and go out and play What about when you're like at a really like low? So it's like you spoke about like last early in the season before that you probably probably say play two games. Yeah What what in your lower part like what keeps you coming back is coming from my experience of like being injured like?

When I get injured and has I have been in it for a long time That's I don't want to go to football I didn't at all so like is did you have the same feeling about that or you wanted to be there not hundred percent? And I still everyone I want to be there. Yeah But I I used to get so sick of everyone telling asking me How are you when you're back playing and that was always think when you back playing when you back playing it's like who? This day around six. I don't know

like I don't know I'm trying I'm doing everything I can and that was everyone was coming from a really good place but it just got tired because it was constant And I didn't I didn't get to do the fun bit and it started it starts to become a little bit of a chore Because you lose a little bit of faith Because yet like I said it just keeps happening. What did you or do you do to get yourself out of that kind of rut? Um Probably come to come to Jim and and and find something that makes me feel good an outlet.

What about prior to you? Well, that was there that was tough mate. Yeah, I don't know that was probably half the problem, right? I didn't really Again, I'd go to Jim. Yeah, and that was great for my mind because I was able to switch off and forget about it But I probably wasn't doing the right things to fix myself. I was probably just fixing this So this yeah looking back now, like how how do you think you cope with it? How would I know? How did you? Especially through the darker times of playing one or

two games a year if that like constantly playing sore painful like that takes a big toll Yeah No I dealt with it pretty well And I'm and I was fortunate to be in a position as a leader of the football club where I felt like I could still have Some form of impact a purpose. Yeah, and certainly by no means that the impact that I wanted to and that was really frustrating That was a challenge in itself to be honest But yeah because I've still felt like I was an important part of the club and

that I could do something I wanted to be There and I wanted to won the club to succeed And I wanted it to go well and that was the other thing like we've we've struggled the last couple years So that even made it harder because we were struggling and knowing that if I was out there, you know They might have been out to make a difference. So that was the other challenge But I guess just being around and doing what I could like there's no point sitting at home Yeah, what was I get? What was I gonna get out of that?

Probably just piss Anna off drive annoy you Complain, I love that. Yeah, what's um, what do we what do you want to be known for as a leader? Because I would presume and obviously not being involved in your club like people from the outside looking in and you and being around you like they'll see the resiliency that you bring to the group and how That kind of affects them in a positive way What what do you kind of want to be known for because again, you don't mean to be that but are yeah What in your mind you want to be kind of as a leader seem to be?

Yeah, so there's there's that there's all of that But then someone who leads with with care as well and compassion and then for me, it's it's a football thing But it's also a work thing. I find it so important to understand people And get and get to know everyone and break down what Barry is whatever it may be. What are their barriers? Why aren't they enjoying this because we believe in if you're enjoying something you'd be really good at it Like if you if you can build confidence, it'll build confidence I'm with confidence will come success and and you know, things will go really really well for you What does success look like to you?

It's Lucky's favorite question to ask back from a football point of view I'm just in general artists in general. I have a happy marriage Create a family. I travel I get to play a lot of golf We win a flag at the old boys. Yeah, she's that'd be nice chaos. Yeah, that would be chaos, right? Yeah, we have vote count after our last day I don't know if anyone's if you know across that we have our vote count traditionally after our last game of the year And vote count would be is a big day as

it is Yeah It'd be massive if we ever want to fly it'd be nice to a meta around our neck doing that Involved in the club and obviously I played free at YC for a few years and not that the old reserves want any flags But obviously the seniors want a fair few and I can imagine what that would be like after winning one After such a long time of not winning one versus us Yeah to back and obviously I didn't it's one of those things that just because you don't you're a part of a

club It's not that you have to have the success as you care for the whole community based around the success They have whether that's football netball anything like that, especially being in a football nipple base club like Just because you know, the netball is going to flag like we're just as excited about that And that's the other thing might like our football club has never won a senior flag ever crazy and for those that know the Vafa lucky go to up go to to up every year to down every year and we were as High as premier B.

There's like nine divisions. That's technically division two. We've never won a flag like that's ridiculous I think we're the highest club or we're the only club to get to premier B without winning a senior flag So there's a lot of people that have come and gone through the football club that would love to see us a lot of people that hang around That give their time And like we said earlier, no one's getting paid No one, you know, everyone chooses to be there and everyone chooses to give us their time Um, so we get to

go and have fun and I've run around on a Saturday be there on a Tuesday Be there on a Thursday, and if it wasn't for those people, yeah, we wouldn't we wouldn't get to do that So be nice to give back to them as well is is do you think that comes back to being a part of something? We're getting you 100% Yeah. Well, that's exactly what it is, isn't it? Yeah, I'm not the football clubbers. There's a big community Yeah, what do you enjoy about being a cult figure? I'll see it. I know you hate it.

Yeah, I'm certainly not a cult figure mate Um, I don't know where that comes in some microphones. I've seen some oh Yeah, I don't know what you're talking about now. Have you seen that I got I got my sources Christ This little thing about putting up an Instagram poll and you know, Jesus. Yes, so that started on at vote count. Yeah The old die straights is do you feel like and I don't know if this is drawn up You do feel like the football club gives you an environment to just be you and just kind of let all you Kind of barriers off I guess.

Yeah. Well, I'm assuming you've seen a video of this. So that is all walls down Yeah, that's all walls down. Yeah Yeah, like it does it's it's a different outlet like for me at work I'm serious Yeah, pretty full-on and serious and then outside of work Yeah, like I can relax and and credit arguably different environment Where I can let all my walls down and and and let loose a little bit What a what's something you wish you could do more of that you have a barrier a block on in that kind of space It's tough it is tough something I could wish I could do more of Do you want to give you one?

Yeah go on so for me like the People see me here is a little bit louder bit fun up humily deprecating humor like that kind of side and Naturally, I'm very very introverted like I could and you saw me when you came up here I was sitting up here and I was happy as Larry just doing some editing of on the studio over there Like my natural happy habitat is quiet silence in my little world. Just being me and I wish to an extent they would say that on the gym floor, but it's hard to

because you want to cultivate and curated environment It's fun enjoyable high energy But I think for me it's the softer side and when you work with me as an athlete or a client or anything like that You do get a little bit of that and I think that is the one thing for me is like How do I bring that into just like my day-to-day activities? So that for me is kind of the question where I was coming from from there. Yeah, nice I'm still gonna struggle to answer that might I don't know but I'd

like to think I've got a decent balance To be honest and I'm relatively comfortable on how things aren't Amy wrong There's some weeks where I wish I could do this or some weeks I wish I could do that, but overall I would like to think that that it's Yeah, it's pretty good. I mean work can be stressful at times and I'd love to be able to Completely switch off, you know, probably more often than I do you but yeah, that's life I guess do you have any valuable kind of resources or things you have learnt over the years?

Just on like self-development, I guess Probably the only one that are you Rita? No, I'm not that and that is one thing that I wish and when Anna and I know she's thinking about it me too Yeah touch wood. I'm sure we'll have kids That I will draw and she's a schoolteacher. So it'll naturally happen But I'll drill that into them that they need to read because I didn't read As a kid and I'm not like my reading and writing is pretty poor. Yeah Yeah, which I which I regret and I struggle to get into books.

Like I've tried reading books sports books You name it? Yeah, and I just don't don't enjoy it mate now. I find it hard to get you stimulated by whether that's a biography on Anyone sporting figure whatever or it's a self-development self-help II something like that on resilience or you know, something today, but Or anything from like I feel like I could read like things that I want to learn from From whether that's like a like a research article I full nerd kind of I but yeah readings one of those things to me as well, which is what I was just thinking about Yeah, anyway resources.

What do you have? Yeah from like a and this is more from a I Know you're a natural later and you're naturally especially with the job you come from You are later and some people that look up to you as for direction How do you curate that or have you or is it just kind of come naturally? No, I asked and I mentioned this earlier and this is something that I come back to a little bit is building competence build confidence And then when you're confident something you're really really good at it, right? So for me as a leader It's building that competence in my people.

So where are their gaps? Where do they need to improve? If I can improve that for them, they become more confident in that area And like I said with that confidence will come success. What kind of things you look for in your people? Do you do you directly hire? I do. Yep. Yep. So when we interview at Coca Cola, it's for our roles So the roles are in my team. It's myself and a colleague that we go through So it all depends on the balance that I have in the team at the time made if

there's a particular Sort of person that I need well, then that's obviously what I'm looking for But I'm always keen to try and find someone relatively ambitious. It's funny. Actually. I've just hired a young guy He's a really good fella And I'd like to think I saw a little bit of me in him and maybe that's why I hired him In what way? He was ambitious. Yeah He could hold a room He's personable He was he seemed fun and you know enjoyable and he was he was he green. He's really green. He has no experience In yeah, exactly, right.

So it gives me the opportunity and us and stop me It's us the company gives us the opportunity to sort of mold In a little bit and coach him and guide him and in you know The direction he wants to go and like I said, he's relatively ambitious ambitious And CCP is a big wide world. So there's lots of opportunity for him Yeah, what's uh, what's something you look for in a person like that? So ambitious is one like is there any values or? Characteristics you kind of find is you kind of come back to

you because you know being someone who hires and fires to an extent And you know, we go through a hiring process for interns and stuff here they always find myself coming back to and I only have recently reflected on this is The the people that I like to surround myself from a professional side of you always kind of have the same demeanor So a little bit a little bit fun a little bit cheeky a little less serious to an extent but also can like have a switch They flick on like is there anything like that that you look for?

So ambitious obviously being one we just spoke about It is anything else you kind of look at our confidence is one. So there's a lot of knock backs in in a sales role traditionally Generally, and and that's yeah, you need to you need a lot of confidence. I think yeah, what is what is confidence? Is it just though carry yourself or yeah, the way carry self is a big thing and presence If you can walk in you've got a presence in a room to start And you're not and you're not scared and you're confident to hold a conversation with something or carry a conversation That's yeah, it's a big thing and resilience.

So instance a massive one might like I said, there's a lot of knock backs Yeah, obviously you need to be resilient and in probably I'd say any sales role, but especially ours as well What's is there any comparisons or similarities between business and sport or for life for you and talk resilience or confidence or another? Um, oh the resilience pace is big. Yeah What do you feel like yes interesting one? What do you what do you feel like resilience looks like in a business point of view that? How do people and I have not worked

in this space or don't really know much about this space personally like From a sales point of view from a business point of view Like what what's a resilience kind of look like is it just carrying on like what's how do you curate that? How do you carry that? So our guys get a lot of knock backs right and air the face of Coca Cola for a lot of businesses and companies so we deal with Bottle shops and licensed venues or integrated venues we call them which is a pub that's also got a bottle shop attached So constantly trying to selling new lines new items of ours And then also, you know trying to desale competitors as well.

I mean, there's a lot of nose You get a lot of nose all of the time So it's the the ability to be able to bounce back from that and still still have a great relationship With someone who's telling you know all of the time because that's important if the relationship breaks down because you're hearing no Well, then, you know you go from one no to 50 knows. Yeah. What do you think keeps them coming back? or bouncing back Values and direction from you. I was gonna say hopefully that's that's part of my role, isn't it?

And that's building a culture where they enjoy enjoy their time. In fact, I just went on My boss called it a summit We said a summit. Yeah and we had to put something together and and he said like, you know, what's one thing you really want to get out of the year and Not just this year. It's always that I want all of my employees to regardless of results like results are obviously important But I always want my guys to be enjoying their time at CCEP if they're not enjoying it Well, then what's the point and I can guarantee if they're enjoying it.

They're doing well I find so and enjoyment for some people is different like I've got two part-time ladies that are that have come back from maternity leave So for them enjoyment is obviously success But it's also work-life balance so they can spend time with with their kids and then I've got some really experienced guys where you know They've got that work-life balance But then they probably need some new challenges to test them a little bit and that's how they get their enjoyment out of their role Now interesting shoot for the moon. What do you want to achieve professionally?

Oh Man, I don't know. I'm gonna talk about this a little bit. Yeah, I don't know It'll all depend on where Anna and I are at. I would imagine that that will Yeah be big on my decisions. But yeah, I keep climbing the corporate ladder. Yeah, I do if I can yeah 100% I do There's a lot that I need to learn and and my my time there So I've been there for just over five years and had a lot of roles and there's some people that maybe tell me that I should slow down a little bit and and smell the roses and and just sort of take it all in but Nothing on that sort of person.

I'm pretty Yeah, keep going like why why why stop so Yeah, I don't know if I can answer that matter I don't know that like I said, I mean I've said it a few times that the opportunity is endless and See how far I can get I guess. Yes. Yeah I'm gonna wrap it up my friend so you can get a little party pump in before you have to duck off to your concert It's beautiful. It's uh, is he first podcast it is. Yeah hands frozen. I was pretty nervous. What would you are? What'd you think about it?

I'll start introducing this little like reflective base because yeah I love the time the guests that I Talked to on the podcast don't really expect me to ask them to come on and I know you didn't really expect that So, you know, what would you do about it? I've enjoyed it like looking at the clock What are we an air in 20 minutes in I certainly didn't think we're gonna be able to talk for an hour and 20 minutes It's been enjoyable man. It's been con and I saw so like reflect a little bit Yeah,

and think about like when I first came here and and slowly meeting everyone Well, can you imagine me the first I walked in these doors and I thought I'd be sitting in this chair doing this is no way Yeah, it's basically is for the last hour and yeah 20 minutes. I've I've made you stop and smell the roses. Yes, literally a hundred percent That's exactly what you've done. Like what's what's something we talked about you didn't think you'd have to How poor Anna I didn't think I'd be talking about Anna so much so I'd be

interested to see what she thinks of that No, there wasn't too many surprises my you gave me a little bit of a head a little bit of heads up which was Yeah, what's uh, who's someone from your world you reckon to be cool to talk to? I Don't need to know that for you to me for this. Yeah for this one. I'll grab a beer with them to that works Um someone from my world that isn't here. Yeah anyone Good question. Do you have a an illustrious character? You kind of know but you don't really

know you want to The first thing yeah, I came to mommy said I've got a mate called Bryce Kalman Yeah, he lives in Sydney, you know, I'd create a little bit deal Yeah, I'd love Bryce to have to a podcast something like this. That'd be really interesting. You won't get it Oh, in fact, you would get a bit of him. You won't get him in the chair But Bryce is probably one I'd love to say I sit down and do this at some stage Well, I think it'd be a good laugh. Yeah, but Bryce is a man.

He's Like if you ran your own business and you could and you knew being it was gonna be there week in week out He'd be the first person you know, he's a very intelligent man and very good at what he does But then you talk about someone who sort of relaxes and lets loose. He's pretty good at that as well So that's a family traitor. I can yeah, he's got some good stories. I love a good time those Calvins I certainly don't know that my man we are gonna wrap up. Thanks for coming in. Appreciate it party pump Tom.

Hey, thank you Me to you. I appreciate it. Absolutely. My pleasure. Thanks, bro Have a good day