1
00:00:05,881 --> 00:00:14,601
Speaker 1: Appoche, projunction, photo ruck and don't try and make you uncomfortable.

2
00:00:16,041 --> 00:00:19,401
Speaker 2: Stand els as a coach, and he'd loved my aggression.

3
00:00:19,521 --> 00:00:22,401
Speaker 2: He said, look, we just need to try and control

4
00:00:22,441 --> 00:00:22,921
Speaker 2: it somehow.

5
00:00:23,121 --> 00:00:24,360
Speaker 3: And you're a new kid on the block, and you

6
00:00:24,441 --> 00:00:25,201
Speaker 3: kid the block.

7
00:00:25,161 --> 00:00:27,041
Speaker 2: He said, I really see a place for you on

8
00:00:27,081 --> 00:00:31,081
Speaker 2: this side. I love your aggression. At that stage, i'd

9
00:00:31,081 --> 00:00:33,040
Speaker 2: put a little bit of way. You know, your ninety kilos,

10
00:00:33,081 --> 00:00:34,440
Speaker 2: but you throw your wade around like a hundred and

11
00:00:34,481 --> 00:00:36,921
Speaker 2: twenty kilo Blake. I love that. And you know you're boring,

12
00:00:37,001 --> 00:00:40,081
Speaker 2: you don't care about getting hurt or nothing. That's that's

13
00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:43,201
Speaker 2: a good thing to have. We just need to manage it.

14
00:00:43,241 --> 00:00:46,721
Speaker 2: So yeah, I didn't know how to manage it. That's

15
00:00:46,721 --> 00:00:49,400
Speaker 2: the problem. I was only a young kid, had a

16
00:00:49,480 --> 00:00:50,361
Speaker 2: chip on my shoulder.

17
00:00:51,161 --> 00:00:53,081
Speaker 3: So was it still barrow too? At this stage, Mum

18
00:00:53,120 --> 00:00:55,361
Speaker 3: and dad weren't coming. Dad, wasn't it.

19
00:00:55,481 --> 00:00:58,761
Speaker 2: They'd never watched the game before, he'd never been Yeah,

20
00:00:59,481 --> 00:01:03,161
Speaker 2: well that's another story. But yeah, look, you know, so

21
00:01:04,801 --> 00:01:07,961
Speaker 2: I walked to a real fine line and with the aggression,

22
00:01:08,041 --> 00:01:09,840
Speaker 2: and sometimes I fell off the line, you know, I

23
00:01:09,881 --> 00:01:12,840
Speaker 2: fell into the that you cross the line and you're

24
00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:15,961
Speaker 2: starting to punch people and not do things should be doing,

25
00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:20,121
Speaker 2: like putting knees in blokes throats, and you know, starting malaise.

26
00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:23,081
Speaker 2: And I got away with it for a period of time.

27
00:01:23,121 --> 00:01:25,761
Speaker 2: But I was also fucking up off field. You know,

28
00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:30,521
Speaker 2: I found alcohol. Saint Kilda was a party club. So

29
00:01:30,681 --> 00:01:35,361
Speaker 2: first week I got there, we trained all sorts of things.

30
00:01:35,881 --> 00:01:38,641
Speaker 2: The Friday night, let's get out in the piece boys,

31
00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:40,000
Speaker 2: and I got fucking blind drunk.

32
00:01:40,401 --> 00:01:42,361
Speaker 3: Well that that was the way I think in that

33
00:01:43,121 --> 00:01:44,000
Speaker 3: and that was your bonding.

34
00:01:44,241 --> 00:01:46,921
Speaker 2: Sin Kilda had a real reputation of of doing it

35
00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:50,121
Speaker 2: during the week and you know, so it probably wasn't

36
00:01:50,121 --> 00:01:51,761
Speaker 2: the best club for me to go to all that stage,

37
00:01:51,881 --> 00:01:56,201
Speaker 2: despite the fact that they give me a chance. So yeah,

38
00:01:55,801 --> 00:02:01,041
Speaker 2: I yah found myself in having to try and manage

39
00:02:01,641 --> 00:02:03,921
Speaker 2: those sorts of things off field, which I couldn't. I

40
00:02:03,921 --> 00:02:06,881
Speaker 2: couldn't manage it. So I was very immature. Yeah, very

41
00:02:06,921 --> 00:02:09,321
Speaker 2: immature is getting locked up, was getting into fights. I

42
00:02:09,321 --> 00:02:12,881
Speaker 2: was drinking lots of alcohol, which compounds a problem, and

43
00:02:12,881 --> 00:02:15,561
Speaker 2: then I was doing these things on field, and you

44
00:02:15,601 --> 00:02:18,081
Speaker 2: know I ran into trouble a little bit later. The

45
00:02:18,161 --> 00:02:21,041
Speaker 2: reason I actually left Saint Kilda was because I just

46
00:02:21,081 --> 00:02:23,441
Speaker 2: had too much baggage there. They offered me a contract

47
00:02:23,481 --> 00:02:26,361
Speaker 2: to stay. I started to play some really good footing,

48
00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:28,281
Speaker 2: started to get a bit of a handle on my

49
00:02:28,361 --> 00:02:31,241
Speaker 2: on field. While field was still shitouse, I still being

50
00:02:31,281 --> 00:02:34,281
Speaker 2: a bullfed going to a pub drinking and fucking belt

51
00:02:34,281 --> 00:02:34,560
Speaker 2: and blow.

52
00:02:34,841 --> 00:02:37,081
Speaker 4: It doesn't work too and obviously ended up with an

53
00:02:37,081 --> 00:02:38,321
Speaker 4: assault charge somewhere along.

54
00:02:38,441 --> 00:02:38,641
Speaker 2: Yeah.

55
00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:40,521
Speaker 3: Sure with that sort of fucking way of.

56
00:02:40,401 --> 00:02:42,761
Speaker 4: Life, and mate, there's only one direction that that's going

57
00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:43,721
Speaker 4: to end up, and that's.

58
00:02:43,561 --> 00:02:45,681
Speaker 3: You locked up in jail, no career.

59
00:02:46,361 --> 00:02:50,081
Speaker 2: Exactly Why didn't that happen? Well, I think timing, so

60
00:02:50,281 --> 00:02:52,921
Speaker 2: back then you could be locked up and you know,

61
00:02:53,601 --> 00:02:55,280
Speaker 2: there wouldn't be cameras out the front of the clink.

62
00:02:56,201 --> 00:02:57,801
Speaker 2: It was a it was a bit different one. It

63
00:02:57,841 --> 00:03:01,081
Speaker 2: was a bit different the of the police station. Yeah,

64
00:03:01,161 --> 00:03:04,601
Speaker 2: I remember once I got locked up and one of

65
00:03:04,601 --> 00:03:07,560
Speaker 2: the footy managers come to to pick me up. That

66
00:03:07,721 --> 00:03:11,401
Speaker 2: was like fuck, yeah, this is not good. So and

67
00:03:11,441 --> 00:03:14,521
Speaker 2: I was purely sticking up for a mate, but my

68
00:03:14,561 --> 00:03:17,881
Speaker 2: mate was a troublemaker and kept putting me in situations

69
00:03:17,921 --> 00:03:20,481
Speaker 2: I shouldn't have been in. So he there was a

70
00:03:20,601 --> 00:03:26,400
Speaker 2: drink dispute, he got slapped over the top of security

71
00:03:26,481 --> 00:03:29,400
Speaker 2: kicked him out. Okay, went out in the lame way

72
00:03:29,401 --> 00:03:33,960
Speaker 2: in there laying the boots anyway, So but go back

73
00:03:34,001 --> 00:03:39,121
Speaker 2: to the point. He fucking started it, So did finish it? Yes,

74
00:03:39,281 --> 00:03:44,561
Speaker 2: So I start, there's there's like and you know, all

75
00:03:44,561 --> 00:03:47,481
Speaker 2: these fastical stories about you know, I m out fucking

76
00:03:47,481 --> 00:03:49,321
Speaker 2: eight blokes, all this sort of ship. There was security

77
00:03:49,361 --> 00:03:51,041
Speaker 2: jumping on him, kicking him on the ground. So I

78
00:03:51,041 --> 00:03:53,721
Speaker 2: had to start pegging blokes. And you know, I got

79
00:03:53,761 --> 00:03:59,721
Speaker 2: a couple of them. Anyway, I got pinned down the bounces.

80
00:03:59,761 --> 00:04:01,601
Speaker 2: Actually one of them grabbed my leg. The other one

81
00:04:01,601 --> 00:04:03,321
Speaker 2: was jumping on my knee, so I knew who it

82
00:04:03,441 --> 00:04:07,041
Speaker 2: was at this stume fucking career. Basically I had an

83
00:04:07,081 --> 00:04:11,201
Speaker 2: eyebrow ring and ear ring. They ripped them out. So anyway,

84
00:04:11,841 --> 00:04:14,881
Speaker 2: cops come because there was too many of them. As

85
00:04:14,881 --> 00:04:17,801
Speaker 2: I said, I peg pegged a couple of them. But yeah,

86
00:04:18,401 --> 00:04:20,721
Speaker 2: and we did it right in the end, but you know,

87
00:04:20,881 --> 00:04:22,961
Speaker 2: cops come let me up, and then they helped me

88
00:04:22,961 --> 00:04:24,601
Speaker 2: out in front of the cops guard. I'll make you

89
00:04:24,601 --> 00:04:26,960
Speaker 2: all right. As soon as they left go, I just

90
00:04:27,081 --> 00:04:29,521
Speaker 2: like the blow was tromba on my leg. I bapped

91
00:04:29,561 --> 00:04:33,041
Speaker 2: him and then cops pimed me to the ground in

92
00:04:33,121 --> 00:04:36,481
Speaker 2: the divvy and it was it was probably the most

93
00:04:36,521 --> 00:04:39,521
Speaker 2: interesting time going in the back of the divvy was

94
00:04:39,601 --> 00:04:42,241
Speaker 2: there was a guy in there who was I'm not

95
00:04:42,241 --> 00:04:44,921
Speaker 2: sure what he was locked up for, but he's been arrested.

96
00:04:45,081 --> 00:04:46,921
Speaker 2: And and then I said to the cop and they

97
00:04:47,401 --> 00:04:49,841
Speaker 2: picked me up talking to the bounces, Okay, we're going

98
00:04:49,921 --> 00:04:51,801
Speaker 2: to take you, all right, he goes, mate. He gave

99
00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:54,161
Speaker 2: an interesting time in the in the back of the divvy,

100
00:04:54,761 --> 00:04:57,161
Speaker 2: so now fuck whatever. Anyway, as soon as I got

101
00:04:57,161 --> 00:04:58,241
Speaker 2: in there, this bloke attacks me.

102
00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:00,281
Speaker 3: That's it, crack.

103
00:05:00,601 --> 00:05:01,481
Speaker 2: Yeah, it tacked me.

104
00:05:02,001 --> 00:05:03,801
Speaker 3: So literally, you've just come out of one brawl.

105
00:05:03,801 --> 00:05:05,400
Speaker 4: You're getting locked up prone in the back of the

106
00:05:05,401 --> 00:05:07,241
Speaker 4: bum wagon and fuck it, it's on again.

107
00:05:07,481 --> 00:05:09,601
Speaker 2: He texted me, and I'm like, what the fuck, So

108
00:05:09,841 --> 00:05:11,200
Speaker 2: just got him in ahead. I'll just give him a

109
00:05:11,241 --> 00:05:13,481
Speaker 2: little bit of a working and I just laid on

110
00:05:13,521 --> 00:05:15,161
Speaker 2: him until we got to the cop shop. Anyway, the

111
00:05:15,161 --> 00:05:18,681
Speaker 2: cops opened the door laughing, pissing himself laughing. So that

112
00:05:18,721 --> 00:05:21,281
Speaker 2: was an interesting ride. But you know the aftermath of

113
00:05:21,281 --> 00:05:24,841
Speaker 2: that is they ran the footy club, and they got

114
00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:27,281
Speaker 2: their general manager to come pick me up, and that

115
00:05:27,401 --> 00:05:30,241
Speaker 2: was the turning point of Okay, you need to sort

116
00:05:30,241 --> 00:05:32,561
Speaker 2: of shit out or you know, we can't keep doing

117
00:05:32,601 --> 00:05:34,960
Speaker 2: this food. He was starting to become more and more popular.

118
00:05:35,320 --> 00:05:38,841
Speaker 2: Media were starting to to get onto things, especially.

119
00:05:38,481 --> 00:05:40,161
Speaker 4: If you're a red light and everybody knew you were

120
00:05:40,161 --> 00:05:42,761
Speaker 4: a story, something for them to write, right you off,

121
00:05:42,841 --> 00:05:43,601
Speaker 4: right the club off.

122
00:05:44,521 --> 00:05:47,201
Speaker 3: But yet on the field you're the key Barry kicky

123
00:05:47,281 --> 00:05:51,880
Speaker 3: second in two minutes, it looks good. It's up for

124
00:05:51,921 --> 00:05:53,801
Speaker 3: you too.

125
00:05:55,041 --> 00:05:56,921
Speaker 2: That's the way Pazza kept up.

126
00:05:56,961 --> 00:06:00,641
Speaker 3: Buddy Step would go by Barry Hall. He likes looking like,

127
00:06:00,721 --> 00:06:02,201
Speaker 3: go on past this four points.

128
00:06:03,001 --> 00:06:04,841
Speaker 2: So one thing we sort out to do was okay,

129
00:06:05,161 --> 00:06:07,641
Speaker 2: a decision of do we stay in Melbourne. Melbourne's a

130
00:06:07,641 --> 00:06:11,681
Speaker 2: footy town. You know. I was probably immature with handling

131
00:06:12,001 --> 00:06:15,400
Speaker 2: situations off field and I just had so much baggage

132
00:06:15,401 --> 00:06:19,640
Speaker 2: just and killed us. So my management sourced out most clubs,

133
00:06:20,201 --> 00:06:24,841
Speaker 2: particularly into state clubs. Yes, and Sydney. We're interested. Sydney

134
00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:26,841
Speaker 2: is a perfect place to play AFL For someone in

135
00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:30,041
Speaker 2: my situation at Tony Lockert who doesn't like footy that much.

136
00:06:30,201 --> 00:06:32,361
Speaker 2: He could walk down the Street, No one knows you.

137
00:06:32,361 --> 00:06:34,801
Speaker 2: You can do your thing. Not that I was going

138
00:06:34,880 --> 00:06:36,561
Speaker 2: to go up there and I can drink and belt

139
00:06:36,561 --> 00:06:39,561
Speaker 2: blokes off field, but you could do your thing. So

140
00:06:39,681 --> 00:06:41,881
Speaker 2: Sydney sort of threw me a lifeline a little bit.

141
00:06:42,641 --> 00:06:44,721
Speaker 2: I did have a contract offered at Saint Kilda, but

142
00:06:45,121 --> 00:06:48,121
Speaker 2: we said we just need to get out of Melbourne.

143
00:06:48,880 --> 00:06:51,241
Speaker 2: Just not mature enough to handle at this stage. Best

144
00:06:51,241 --> 00:06:53,441
Speaker 2: care move ever made, to be honest, did.

145
00:06:53,401 --> 00:06:55,401
Speaker 4: They give you a mentor when you got to Sydney?

146
00:06:55,440 --> 00:06:58,401
Speaker 4: Was there somebody there that they said, writer, Barry Hall,

147
00:06:58,921 --> 00:07:01,320
Speaker 4: this is what's going to happen. You're here with us now,

148
00:07:01,361 --> 00:07:04,320
Speaker 4: we'll support you, we will make you a great player.

149
00:07:06,320 --> 00:07:09,080
Speaker 2: Yeah. There was a guy, Stuey Maxfield who when I

150
00:07:09,241 --> 00:07:12,001
Speaker 2: landed up there, I'd never been to Sydney except to play.

151
00:07:12,041 --> 00:07:14,201
Speaker 2: I'd fly in there, play and fly home. I've never

152
00:07:14,241 --> 00:07:16,121
Speaker 2: really sayen it. It was just a gut feeling thing

153
00:07:16,161 --> 00:07:18,921
Speaker 2: that this is the right thing to do, and they

154
00:07:19,001 --> 00:07:20,961
Speaker 2: back their football club to be able to rain someone

155
00:07:20,961 --> 00:07:23,401
Speaker 2: in like me with their culture, which is which is great,

156
00:07:23,401 --> 00:07:27,161
Speaker 2: which is absolutely what happened. So Stuey Maxfield, who was

157
00:07:27,521 --> 00:07:30,081
Speaker 2: a captain, pulled me in and said, mate, a good

158
00:07:30,121 --> 00:07:33,201
Speaker 2: deep voice. You're a big guy, you're imposing. People will

159
00:07:33,201 --> 00:07:35,641
Speaker 2: listen to you, and you're not an idiot. You know

160
00:07:35,681 --> 00:07:37,961
Speaker 2: what's going on with the game, you know what's going

161
00:07:38,001 --> 00:07:41,241
Speaker 2: on with off field. We need you to control yourself

162
00:07:41,241 --> 00:07:43,801
Speaker 2: over here on off field, but game day I need

163
00:07:43,881 --> 00:07:45,401
Speaker 2: I need to hear you. I think you can be

164
00:07:45,441 --> 00:07:47,681
Speaker 2: a great leader for this football club. Was almost even

165
00:07:47,721 --> 00:07:49,601
Speaker 2: shy at that stage. I wouldn't say too much and

166
00:07:49,721 --> 00:07:52,521
Speaker 2: just do my shit, train hard and go home, or wouldn't.

167
00:07:52,521 --> 00:07:54,681
Speaker 3: So this is a conversation that you've had coming to

168
00:07:54,721 --> 00:07:56,881
Speaker 3: the Swans. Yeah, so you're a great leader.

169
00:07:57,281 --> 00:07:58,681
Speaker 2: You've got a voice. You don't know.

170
00:07:58,761 --> 00:08:01,281
Speaker 4: We'll listen to you. Yeah, and you know we'll go

171
00:08:01,881 --> 00:08:05,161
Speaker 4: forward in shortly. But what a fucking great line to

172
00:08:05,201 --> 00:08:09,121
Speaker 4: follow to who you are today. I mean, yeah, well.

173
00:08:09,041 --> 00:08:11,361
Speaker 2: I used to go to train and not say a word,

174
00:08:11,441 --> 00:08:14,681
Speaker 2: just do my thing and go home. But he's seen

175
00:08:14,721 --> 00:08:16,881
Speaker 2: in me that I had leadership qualities and said, mate,

176
00:08:16,881 --> 00:08:18,041
Speaker 2: I think you can be a great leader for this

177
00:08:18,041 --> 00:08:22,001
Speaker 2: football club. Young blakes look up to you. We need

178
00:08:22,001 --> 00:08:24,321
Speaker 2: to tap into this. So he sort of almost mentored

179
00:08:24,321 --> 00:08:26,841
Speaker 2: me into becoming a lad. I never seen myself as

180
00:08:26,841 --> 00:08:29,841
Speaker 2: a leader. Never ever did you know so belief and

181
00:08:31,041 --> 00:08:33,401
Speaker 2: hugging a bloke and telling them that if I can

182
00:08:33,401 --> 00:08:36,041
Speaker 2: worse something and their powerful, they mean a lot to

183
00:08:36,361 --> 00:08:39,441
Speaker 2: this organization or as a mate or whatever it may be.

184
00:08:39,601 --> 00:08:42,441
Speaker 2: It's powerful. You feel, you feel good about it.

185
00:08:42,641 --> 00:08:44,561
Speaker 3: I like to be told now and again, well done.

186
00:08:45,201 --> 00:08:47,041
Speaker 4: So I like to know that I've given one hundred

187
00:08:47,041 --> 00:08:49,321
Speaker 4: percent somebody has acknowledged it. And I mean there's people

188
00:08:49,321 --> 00:08:51,401
Speaker 4: out there, go listen. You don't do things for this

189
00:08:51,441 --> 00:08:53,921
Speaker 4: and you don't think that. Yeah, I agree, But having

190
00:08:53,921 --> 00:08:56,001
Speaker 4: that someone pat you on the back, or someone come

191
00:08:56,041 --> 00:08:59,441
Speaker 4: up and say great goal, good talk, good tackle, well ran,

192
00:08:59,681 --> 00:09:04,281
Speaker 4: good training, You're instantly feeling uplifted as a human, as

193
00:09:04,281 --> 00:09:07,481
Speaker 4: an athlete, as a fucking parent, as just Joe citizen

194
00:09:08,241 --> 00:09:10,601
Speaker 4: that's walking down the road mate. You know, a nice,

195
00:09:10,721 --> 00:09:13,441
Speaker 4: nice pair of shoes, spaite, whatever it might be. It's

196
00:09:13,521 --> 00:09:16,441
Speaker 4: it's a very very powerful thing to know that somebody's

197
00:09:16,441 --> 00:09:20,361
Speaker 4: actually taken a moment to just observe and acknowledge.

198
00:09:19,921 --> 00:09:22,641
Speaker 2: Absolutely as a person. Yeah. So Assueing actual did do

199
00:09:22,681 --> 00:09:25,721
Speaker 2: that and from that point to his later I was

200
00:09:25,761 --> 00:09:28,601
Speaker 2: captain of the foota club. A pretty quick turnaround been

201
00:09:28,841 --> 00:09:32,241
Speaker 2: coming from Saint Kilda, not talking and training or giving

202
00:09:32,321 --> 00:09:36,521
Speaker 2: advice or helping anyone to becoming a captain. And it

203
00:09:36,561 --> 00:09:38,721
Speaker 2: was it was all about taking ownership and actually wanting

204
00:09:38,761 --> 00:09:40,921
Speaker 2: to do it. I wanted to be a leader, you know,

205
00:09:40,961 --> 00:09:42,881
Speaker 2: and forever indebted to the Sydney Spines for giving me

206
00:09:42,921 --> 00:09:45,561
Speaker 2: that opportunity. Firstly with a guy with a checkered pass,

207
00:09:45,641 --> 00:09:48,841
Speaker 2: but they backed their culture, they backed their people in

208
00:09:48,881 --> 00:09:51,841
Speaker 2: their organization to be able to turn me around. And

209
00:09:52,001 --> 00:09:54,161
Speaker 2: it did really quickly, probably quicker than what they thought.

210
00:09:55,321 --> 00:09:58,241
Speaker 4: So that's the way that they've molded though their club

211
00:09:58,281 --> 00:10:02,681
Speaker 4: and brought who they believe would be assets to the players.

212
00:10:02,281 --> 00:10:04,961
Speaker 2: Into the club environment. Absolutely, and they they were pretty

213
00:10:05,161 --> 00:10:08,081
Speaker 2: now and for doing that, players at other clubs that

214
00:10:08,321 --> 00:10:11,321
Speaker 2: are struggling got ability, but they're just gone a bit

215
00:10:11,361 --> 00:10:13,441
Speaker 2: flat during a bit of a rut. Sydney Swans are

216
00:10:13,481 --> 00:10:16,281
Speaker 2: go get them and turn them around, you know, rejuvenate

217
00:10:16,321 --> 00:10:18,601
Speaker 2: their careers. And they had a bit of a reputation

218
00:10:18,681 --> 00:10:23,241
Speaker 2: at that stage of doing that. So and I become

219
00:10:23,401 --> 00:10:25,321
Speaker 2: one of those guys who helped build that system. So

220
00:10:25,521 --> 00:10:29,001
Speaker 2: it's uh, you know, it's pretty proud, but sort of

221
00:10:29,121 --> 00:10:33,281
Speaker 2: going forward also a guy who's a victim of the system.

222
00:10:33,681 --> 00:10:38,201
Speaker 2: I built the system, but with my past issues, you know,

223
00:10:38,641 --> 00:10:39,361
Speaker 2: it ousted me.

224
00:10:39,481 --> 00:10:41,801
Speaker 4: How was it then when you receive one of the

225
00:10:41,801 --> 00:10:42,841
Speaker 4: biggest suspensions.

226
00:10:43,081 --> 00:10:45,441
Speaker 2: It was quite tough because you know, you need to

227
00:10:45,441 --> 00:10:48,801
Speaker 2: be accountable to your teammates, and I to front them.

228
00:10:49,241 --> 00:10:50,801
Speaker 2: I've got a bit of calmer that day too, So

229
00:10:51,081 --> 00:10:53,401
Speaker 2: I obviously whacked a bloke and got some weeks for it.

230
00:10:53,801 --> 00:10:55,521
Speaker 3: But how many weeks did you get?

231
00:10:56,081 --> 00:10:56,361
Speaker 2: Seven?

232
00:10:56,361 --> 00:10:58,201
Speaker 3: I think it was still todaight, the longest one?

233
00:10:59,321 --> 00:11:04,481
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, And so the next quarter I was actually

234
00:11:04,481 --> 00:11:07,361
Speaker 2: playing k footy, and the next quarter I ran. I

235
00:11:07,401 --> 00:11:09,721
Speaker 2: got pushed in the back near the boundary line and

236
00:11:09,801 --> 00:11:13,481
Speaker 2: running the fence and compound fraction of my wrist is

237
00:11:13,481 --> 00:11:17,561
Speaker 2: a scar looking broke my wrist, so I was I

238
00:11:17,601 --> 00:11:20,801
Speaker 2: was out for seven weeks anyway, but I put that

239
00:11:20,841 --> 00:11:24,361
Speaker 2: down to karma. So the karma train fucking ran me over.

240
00:11:28,121 --> 00:11:30,401
Speaker 2: So I was out of the club, and I just

241
00:11:30,441 --> 00:11:34,001
Speaker 2: needed to try and get away and work out why

242
00:11:34,081 --> 00:11:35,601
Speaker 2: I was doing this shit, because I couldn't explain while

243
00:11:35,601 --> 00:11:38,081
Speaker 2: I was doing it, because I was doing canceling all

244
00:11:38,081 --> 00:11:40,681
Speaker 2: those sorts of things and trying to fix my issues,

245
00:11:40,801 --> 00:11:44,841
Speaker 2: which run pretty deep, and I was trying to do

246
00:11:44,881 --> 00:11:45,921
Speaker 2: these sorts of things.

247
00:11:46,521 --> 00:11:48,801
Speaker 3: Meanwhile being the bright line of the club from a meeting.

248
00:11:48,921 --> 00:11:51,681
Speaker 2: Yeah, I was still captain of the footy club, so

249
00:11:51,961 --> 00:11:54,481
Speaker 2: it was you know, I certainly wasn't a victim, but

250
00:11:55,561 --> 00:11:57,961
Speaker 2: you know, I thought those things were happening as well,

251
00:11:58,041 --> 00:12:00,321
Speaker 2: but which was also warning me up a little bit.

252
00:12:00,921 --> 00:12:01,481
Speaker 2: How did you do?

253
00:12:01,681 --> 00:12:03,321
Speaker 3: Like, how did that work?

254
00:12:03,441 --> 00:12:06,521
Speaker 4: I know back then it was not much emphasis and

255
00:12:06,561 --> 00:12:11,281
Speaker 4: focus around mental health. And look, we all talk about

256
00:12:11,401 --> 00:12:14,841
Speaker 4: okay blokes, you know I had support. Quote me if

257
00:12:14,881 --> 00:12:16,921
Speaker 4: I'm wrong, but I don't believe that the would have

258
00:12:16,961 --> 00:12:19,561
Speaker 4: been the right networks of support for a man that

259
00:12:19,721 --> 00:12:22,801
Speaker 4: was struggling, because it would still have been seen to

260
00:12:22,841 --> 00:12:25,401
Speaker 4: be a little bit shy or a bit fucking How

261
00:12:25,481 --> 00:12:28,361
Speaker 4: you going to turn around and say I'm depressed, I'm

262
00:12:28,401 --> 00:12:30,401
Speaker 4: feeling down, hard nut mate.

263
00:12:30,201 --> 00:12:31,721
Speaker 3: Get the fuck out there and deal with it.

264
00:12:31,801 --> 00:12:35,921
Speaker 4: Yeah, is depression and you couldn't have spoken about it,

265
00:12:36,801 --> 00:12:40,321
Speaker 4: but obviously there must have been something there that had

266
00:12:40,321 --> 00:12:41,521
Speaker 4: to have an effect on you.

267
00:12:42,121 --> 00:12:46,361
Speaker 2: Yeah. Absolutely, Look I went from a support network with

268
00:12:46,481 --> 00:12:50,521
Speaker 2: coaches and it was a really restrained relationship which wound

269
00:12:50,601 --> 00:12:53,801
Speaker 2: me up like a clock. And you know I was

270
00:12:53,841 --> 00:12:56,761
Speaker 2: about to hit the alarm. It's you know, we had

271
00:12:56,761 --> 00:13:00,601
Speaker 2: a very defensive game style, low scoring, but we had

272
00:13:00,641 --> 00:13:02,881
Speaker 2: the best forward line of competition. So the best scoring

273
00:13:03,401 --> 00:13:06,441
Speaker 2: of the field. Go quick because you're not in defense anymore,

274
00:13:06,441 --> 00:13:08,681
Speaker 2: you're in attack. And we had the best one on

275
00:13:08,681 --> 00:13:11,721
Speaker 2: one forward line in the competition. That's what I'm saying.

276
00:13:11,841 --> 00:13:13,521
Speaker 2: Soon as we get over halfway, we're not in defense

277
00:13:13,641 --> 00:13:17,921
Speaker 2: mon anymore, Let's score. Yeah. So it's just frustrating, really frustrating,

278
00:13:17,961 --> 00:13:20,641
Speaker 2: and started to wind me up. And yeah, it sort

279
00:13:20,641 --> 00:13:22,881
Speaker 2: of showed on the field. So those demons I had

280
00:13:23,121 --> 00:13:25,881
Speaker 2: that I was dealing with with some Kilda with childhood

281
00:13:26,881 --> 00:13:28,441
Speaker 2: read the ruguar head. So I did a lot of

282
00:13:28,481 --> 00:13:31,801
Speaker 2: good work on myself being a leader, all these sorts

283
00:13:31,801 --> 00:13:33,841
Speaker 2: of things, but I still had some chinks in my

284
00:13:33,921 --> 00:13:38,601
Speaker 2: armor that I didn't know how to diffuse the situation

285
00:13:38,881 --> 00:13:42,721
Speaker 2: or when I'm triggered, Okay, recognize that I'm triggering. I

286
00:13:42,841 --> 00:13:45,321
Speaker 2: just let a build up and I can feel it

287
00:13:45,321 --> 00:13:46,561
Speaker 2: full of hot air and then o'lt burst.

288
00:13:46,641 --> 00:13:49,441
Speaker 4: You know, I can't help but sit here and wonder,

289
00:13:49,961 --> 00:13:52,041
Speaker 4: did you really hit rock bottom?

290
00:13:52,041 --> 00:13:52,401
Speaker 2: After this?

291
00:13:52,521 --> 00:13:53,641
Speaker 3: Do you get back on the piss?

292
00:13:53,681 --> 00:13:57,121
Speaker 4: Were you're getting around being an aggressive meaning the public.

293
00:13:57,601 --> 00:14:01,241
Speaker 2: Yeah. Look, I had some relationship issues, which you know,

294
00:14:02,081 --> 00:14:03,841
Speaker 2: I'm certainly not the first one bit the last, but

295
00:14:04,161 --> 00:14:07,801
Speaker 2: that's life. So those things are weighing on me. Obviously, divorces,

296
00:14:07,841 --> 00:14:10,121
Speaker 2: all those sorts of things. So things just starting to

297
00:14:10,121 --> 00:14:12,601
Speaker 2: build up. Sometimes you don't even realize you're in these

298
00:14:12,601 --> 00:14:17,161
Speaker 2: situations until you're out of them. Looking back, Yeah, looking

299
00:14:17,161 --> 00:14:19,001
Speaker 2: back out, Fucking what was I doing? You know? That's

300
00:14:19,041 --> 00:14:21,801
Speaker 2: that's crazy, and that's about developing and learning about yourself,

301
00:14:22,201 --> 00:14:24,601
Speaker 2: which I've certainly done. But I was in a fairly

302
00:14:24,681 --> 00:14:28,041
Speaker 2: dark space. Yeah. Absolutely, I got sacked from the Sydney

303
00:14:28,081 --> 00:14:32,401
Speaker 2: Swans relationship dramas going on, I was unsure about my

304
00:14:32,481 --> 00:14:37,201
Speaker 2: football career after the Sydney Swans. I was unsure about

305
00:14:38,001 --> 00:14:39,241
Speaker 2: my career. What do I do now?

306
00:14:39,681 --> 00:14:41,881
Speaker 3: Was this also to a financial burden as well?

307
00:14:42,481 --> 00:14:44,721
Speaker 2: Financially I was like, okay, you still need to do

308
00:14:44,721 --> 00:14:48,521
Speaker 2: sit still, you still need to be Riveners. Yeah. So

309
00:14:48,761 --> 00:14:50,481
Speaker 2: I was worried about those sorts of things because I'm

310
00:14:50,601 --> 00:14:54,161
Speaker 2: I'm qualified at fucking nothing. That's me. I'm a qualified idiot,

311
00:14:54,161 --> 00:14:58,401
Speaker 2: you know, I'm just a fucking tructor. I got a

312
00:14:58,441 --> 00:15:04,201
Speaker 2: black belt and burn a fucking blokey bloke but ken

313
00:15:04,281 --> 00:15:08,521
Speaker 2: through our parts. So you know, back then they weren't

314
00:15:08,561 --> 00:15:11,041
Speaker 2: concerned about careers after footy and stuff like that's all

315
00:15:11,041 --> 00:15:12,681
Speaker 2: about footy, footy, footy. We need you here at the

316
00:15:12,681 --> 00:15:14,881
Speaker 2: club all the time, and you used.

317
00:15:14,761 --> 00:15:16,361
Speaker 3: To drop out of school or whatever, and if you

318
00:15:16,361 --> 00:15:18,761
Speaker 3: had talent, we got you now.

319
00:15:19,481 --> 00:15:22,081
Speaker 2: Was all those unsure things of okay, what do I

320
00:15:22,121 --> 00:15:25,801
Speaker 2: do now? Luckily I got a lifeline from the Western

321
00:15:25,801 --> 00:15:30,881
Speaker 2: Bulldogs and was it was really a lifeline because you know,

322
00:15:31,001 --> 00:15:34,561
Speaker 2: I got two years of really enjoyable football there, and

323
00:15:35,081 --> 00:15:36,881
Speaker 2: once I got sacked from the Swans, I did a

324
00:15:36,921 --> 00:15:39,041
Speaker 2: lot of work on myself again and it was a

325
00:15:39,041 --> 00:15:42,601
Speaker 2: real lesson that whatever you want in life, whether it's

326
00:15:42,641 --> 00:15:46,521
Speaker 2: good or it's hard to maintain, that's the good stuff

327
00:15:46,521 --> 00:15:49,161
Speaker 2: you need in your life. If it's easy, you probably

328
00:15:49,161 --> 00:15:53,041
Speaker 2: don't need it. No, it's not my relationships, like doing

329
00:15:53,081 --> 00:15:54,921
Speaker 2: work on yourself. If it's hard and it's difficult and

330
00:15:54,961 --> 00:15:57,321
Speaker 2: you need to maintain it, they're the things that are

331
00:15:57,321 --> 00:16:00,441
Speaker 2: worth it. It sounds really stupid. The easy stuff that comes,

332
00:16:01,281 --> 00:16:03,481
Speaker 2: you'll soon work out is not actually worth that much.

333
00:16:03,481 --> 00:16:05,001
Speaker 2: It's just materialistic books.

334
00:16:05,161 --> 00:16:07,201
Speaker 3: It's just part and parcel and yeah, it just comes

335
00:16:07,201 --> 00:16:07,641
Speaker 3: and it goes.

336
00:16:07,761 --> 00:16:11,081
Speaker 2: Yeah. Absolutely, So I did some work on myself and

337
00:16:11,681 --> 00:16:14,601
Speaker 2: probably the biggest thing I did going from Sydney to

338
00:16:14,721 --> 00:16:16,121
Speaker 2: the Western Bulldogs.

339
00:16:15,761 --> 00:16:18,921
Speaker 4: Was so the Western Bulldogs for those that don't know that,

340
00:16:19,041 --> 00:16:19,801
Speaker 4: they're in Melbourne.

341
00:16:19,841 --> 00:16:20,281
Speaker 3: So we're back.

342
00:16:20,401 --> 00:16:23,081
Speaker 4: We're back in Melbourne where you're originally sort of from

343
00:16:23,241 --> 00:16:25,561
Speaker 4: ye back on a bit of terror firm, you're for mel.

344
00:16:26,161 --> 00:16:28,321
Speaker 2: But I'd grown as a person at that stage, so

345
00:16:28,361 --> 00:16:30,321
Speaker 2: I was like, I can probably go back to Melbourne

346
00:16:30,441 --> 00:16:33,521
Speaker 2: and handle these felt confident. I was very professional. I

347
00:16:33,561 --> 00:16:35,601
Speaker 2: wasn't drinking anymore and all that sort of stuff. I

348
00:16:35,641 --> 00:16:38,361
Speaker 2: was very professional. Footy was a focus, so I wasn't

349
00:16:38,361 --> 00:16:40,921
Speaker 2: worried about going back to Melbourne. I just took all

350
00:16:40,961 --> 00:16:44,601
Speaker 2: the pressure off me. I was a captain of the Swans,

351
00:16:45,081 --> 00:16:48,041
Speaker 2: I was I always put pressure on myself. I never

352
00:16:48,041 --> 00:16:50,641
Speaker 2: played a good game of footy. I'd kick seven goals

353
00:16:50,641 --> 00:16:53,201
Speaker 2: and do quite well, and I'd always picked the negatives

354
00:16:53,241 --> 00:16:55,081
Speaker 2: out of it. I could I could have done this better,

355
00:16:55,081 --> 00:16:57,001
Speaker 2: I couldn't done that. But you're a full critique on

356
00:16:57,041 --> 00:16:57,361
Speaker 2: your own.

357
00:16:57,441 --> 00:16:57,641
Speaker 3: Yeah.

358
00:16:57,921 --> 00:17:02,121
Speaker 2: Yeah, So the coach of the Western Bulldogs said, look,

359
00:17:02,241 --> 00:17:06,281
Speaker 2: we need to stitch this up. We want you, but

360
00:17:06,361 --> 00:17:08,481
Speaker 2: we need to you know, we're going to go to

361
00:17:08,521 --> 00:17:11,120
Speaker 2: a board meeting and I just need to hear from

362
00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:13,840
Speaker 2: you that you know you're genuine in what you're saying,

363
00:17:13,840 --> 00:17:15,761
Speaker 2: and all those sorts of things. Anyway, I went into

364
00:17:15,801 --> 00:17:19,321
Speaker 2: to the board meeting and sat down and there's there's

365
00:17:19,360 --> 00:17:22,241
Speaker 2: twelve guys there, all in their suits and all up tight,

366
00:17:22,561 --> 00:17:25,801
Speaker 2: and I rocked up like this, this is my uniform.

367
00:17:25,961 --> 00:17:28,240
Speaker 2: And anyway, I sit down and you know, they were

368
00:17:28,241 --> 00:17:30,680
Speaker 2: talking through stuff and you know, we'd love to the club.

369
00:17:31,160 --> 00:17:35,041
Speaker 2: The chairman, the boss said, look, Barry, you've been very

370
00:17:35,041 --> 00:17:38,401
Speaker 2: honest so far, but I just need a promise from you.

371
00:17:39,681 --> 00:17:41,880
Speaker 2: Do you promise what you did at the Sydney Swans

372
00:17:42,160 --> 00:17:44,241
Speaker 2: in the last year you were there, you won't do

373
00:17:44,321 --> 00:17:47,161
Speaker 2: it the Western Bulldogs in the red, white and blue.

374
00:17:48,080 --> 00:17:49,440
Speaker 2: And I just looked at him and said, now, I

375
00:17:49,481 --> 00:17:54,281
Speaker 2: can't promise you. I can't. And he said, you realize

376
00:17:54,321 --> 00:17:56,600
Speaker 2: you just cost yourself a contract. And I said, well,

377
00:17:56,840 --> 00:17:58,801
Speaker 2: if you want me to piece in your pocket, that

378
00:17:58,840 --> 00:18:02,401
Speaker 2: will be the best. Yeah, I'm not going to do that.

379
00:18:03,080 --> 00:18:04,321
Speaker 2: I'll look you in the eye and so I'm going to

380
00:18:04,360 --> 00:18:07,480
Speaker 2: give everything I've got in my being to make this

381
00:18:07,761 --> 00:18:10,121
Speaker 2: work for both of us, your football club and myself

382
00:18:11,041 --> 00:18:14,001
Speaker 2: and the team. Obviously team success is the most important thing.

383
00:18:14,481 --> 00:18:17,840
Speaker 2: But I can't promise you that I would not do

384
00:18:17,961 --> 00:18:20,080
Speaker 2: those things, because I've done some working myself. I reckon

385
00:18:20,120 --> 00:18:22,080
Speaker 2: I won't, but I can't promise you. So it was

386
00:18:22,080 --> 00:18:24,120
Speaker 2: a bit tense. But the next morning he rang me

387
00:18:24,201 --> 00:18:27,321
Speaker 2: up quite early and said, come into my office, like shit,

388
00:18:27,681 --> 00:18:28,920
Speaker 2: I don't know what news this is going to be,

389
00:18:28,961 --> 00:18:32,961
Speaker 2: and I depend before even said Las, welcome to the club.

390
00:18:33,041 --> 00:18:38,281
Speaker 1: So photo Record, don't try and make you uncomfortable. Photo Record.

391
00:18:38,360 --> 00:18:41,561
Speaker 1: You ain't try and world down stuff for your photo record.

392
00:18:41,721 --> 00:18:45,161
Speaker 1: Lab on me going hard to work. Photo Record, ain't

393
00:18:45,160 --> 00:18:49,481
Speaker 1: trying to link, no trying to wished for the re

394
00:18:52,801 --> 00:18:57,920
Speaker 1: ragged for the red fort regged for the regged