Jordan Lewis' ‘insurance policy’ is quite unique: Last season, the talented midfielder spent one day a fortnight with different arms of the Victoria Police including its air wing, the search and rescue division and the water police.
Lewis, who was accompanied by Luke Hodge, says the highlight of his law enforcement secondment was when the pair went along for the ride when officers investigated a robbery, or at least what was supposed to be a robbery.
“It turned out to be a false alarm,” Lewis smiles.
“We didn’t get to see any gun fire or anything like that, so it was disappointing. The policeman just floored the car and was going over median strips and everything so it was a bit of an experience.”
Lewis says there wasn't any danger the public would recognise the two Hawks’ stars.
“We stayed in the back of the police car so nobody saw us. We’d probably have trouble being undercover cops, though,” he laughs.
While Luke Hodge is Lewis’ cop buddy, the two guys he was drafted with, Buddy Franklin and Jarryd Roughead, are his closest allies at the club. Although Lewis spent the majority of his time off with his family and friends in Warrnambool, he took a week out to holiday with his two teammates in Byron Bay.
“We do everything together. It helps that we’re all the same age, we do the same things," Lewis says. "We always hang out together. Because we were drafted together, we’ve stuck together.”
Contrary to popular belief, he doesn’t believe the 2004 draftees are developing ahead of time after their impressive 2007.
“We’re starting to see the benefits of playing games early in 2005 just now. Next year we’re going to improve again. It’s just about experience. It’s a matter of confidence really and getting out there and doing your thing. I think all three of us have got that now. So now we have to take it to the next level.”
While Lewis is coy about what the next level means for the team that had the youngest playing list in the competition in 2007, he acknowledges that the future is very bright.
“The sky’s the limit for us next year and anything’s achievable. With such a young group, it’s all about challenging ourselves and getting to play in a Grand Final as soon as possible so we want to better ourselves from last year so who knows where that will take us.”
