NEXT time you're sitting at home thinking about which fast food option you're going to go for with those beers that have been cooling away in the fridge, spare a thought for us footballers.
Don't get me wrong – I wouldn't swap my life as an AFL footballer for anything but the commitment and application needed by all AFL players these days is enormous. The thought of cracking open a couple of cold ones with a pizza on a Friday night is a luxury you just can't afford to think about if you want to be able to compete with the best footballers in the competition.
The sacrifices we make in a bid to reach these goals, the hope of playing in finals and premierships, is what makes these sacrifices worthwhile. But fans don't see a lot of what it takes to make it across the white line each week, or what it doesn't take. The things we miss out on.
There are certain things in life that most people can do or indulge in but, as an AFL player, there's certainly restrictions as to what we can and can't do. Take a player's social life, for example.
Most AFL players are between the ages of 18 and 30, the years when most young guys are going out most weekends, having beers with their mates and generally having a good time.
It's not like we can go out every weekend and have a beer with our mates. For one, I'm sure clubs and coaches wouldn't like it but mainly, the body just can't take it so it's pretty rare that we can get out and have a couple of beers during the season.
While I think players are pretty well behaved across the league these days, we also have to be constantly on our guard when out in public. Some players are afraid to head out and have a couple of quiet beers for fear of what could get back to either their club or, worse, what gossip might be reported.
A player might be having one or two drinks but then, in everybody else's eyes, they're out getting smashed. That's been one of the biggest changes today's players have had to deal with.
Diet is another huge aspect of a player's routine. I can't speak for the rest of the competition, but I presume I'm like most footballers. I watch what I eat. I try to eat as much of the good stuff as I can and avoid the bad stuff.
The high-energy, low-fat stuff is the way to go. Maybe only once a month after a game will I spoil myself with a trip to Maccas or KFC, but apart from that I'm pretty good.
Basically it's all about smart choices. If you're at the supermarket, I try to take the diet or low-fat options.
When the year is finished I can break the shackles a bit and go for the good stuff but not while the season is in full swing. Our skin-folds are probably taken once a month, while we're weighed at the club nearly every day.
The medicos are always keen to know how we're going in terms of hydration and that sort of thing. So while we burn off a lot of energy, we also need to eat well.
Today, our training is also analysed as it has never been before. Each session during the recent pre-season we wore GPS systems which tracked how far we ran, at what pace along with other details. We still wear them for our main training session of the week.
Sometimes, as we have seen in a couple of games this year, it is a game of centimetres. Clubs are striving to gain whatever edge they can over an opposition and we, the players, are the key pieces in any advantage.
Players understand that, so we happily make the sacrifices because we love playing the game and the perks that come with it.
But sometimes, on a cold afternoon after training at Skilled Stadium, it would be easier to duck into the fast food take-away shop than munching on that salad sanger. If only.
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
