Was moving away from family and friends the toughest part of moving to Perth?
Probably, but what it does teach you is to reinvent yourself and your family. This is one of the toughest jobs to coach and people should understand that. To travel and have two or three days on the road every two weeks is enormous and there's always the expectation on what this club should do and hasn’t done, so there's a fair bit to weigh up.
Was it a big decision to leave Essendon?
It was and looking back so far, it has been a good decision. I just thought I had to distance myself, go to another club and see what I could do. Being at Essendon became comfortable to me in the end and that's because I made it that way. I just needed to stimulate myself.
Why WA and Fremantle?
It was one of the hardest jobs I saw and the biggest challenge, so that's the reason I took it on.
Was it tough for your wife when she didn’t have the football connections you did to socialise in?
I had a small network of friends here, but initially it was a little tough for her and the kids, as they had to adjust to new schools and everything.
What are your impressions of living in Perth?
It's a nice quiet place over here that they tried to keep quiet for many years, but now the boom has exposed them. It has taught me a lot of things living here and hopefully I'm here for a while and can experience more of WA and Perth. I enjoy it here.
What are the differences of living in Perth compared to what you were in Victoria?
Firstly, I'm living on the beach and back in Melbourne; I lived in inner-suburbia. That's quite different and gives me more exposure to the beach and river. This place gives you peace of mind as it's not the hustle and bustle of Melbourne. Another difference is coming from Melbourne, which is a very entertaining city that has something going on, whereas here you have to know what's going on as there’s not as many things to do. The government probably has a good 20 years ahead of them now to develop Perth in the right way.
Are you family enjoying living here now?
They are. The kids are in good schools and my wife is happy, which is hard.
What do you do to get away from football?
I'm about to find out whether or not you have much time to yourself in-season, as it's very demanding in many ways. Interviews, media, looking after your corporate sponsors and your playing list all take up time and it's never-ending. I like owning horses and things like that, as well as water sports.
What is the difference in WA football culture compared to Melbourne's?
The culture of football clubs is always there, but the big grounds and Burley footies over here take a while to adjust to. It's the strongest sport in WA, divides the town, which is interesting as I come from a town where there is 10 or 12 teams. The focus is constant and daily, but there's not much too different in the way football is.
