After playing 10 games with the Blues last year, Jordan Russell is determined to establish his place in the senior team in 2007. Having bulked up over the pre-season, Jordan has also benefited from some mentoring from some Carlton legends and is raring to go for the new season. Jordan spent time talking to Mike and Dan this week about a new confidence in his game, share house dynamics, and kicking goals on and off the field.

Denis Pagan has made the comment in the media about how we will not be physically intimidated this year. Has he worked with young players like yourself on bulking up, and working more on tackling and taking bumps?

Yeah Denis is pretty keen on younger boys bulking up and playing harder. I’ve put on 9 kilos since I started at the club, I’ve been eating different range of stuff to get the weight on, everything from protein shakes to KFC. The O’hAilpin brothers have put on 30 kilos between them, and the club is really keen on younger boys improving their strength. We’ve done lots of tackling, and it takes most players a couple of years to hit their straps and to get used to physical aspects of the game at AFL level.

Mike and Dan note that they have also been following a strict KFC diet for many years and have successfully added considerable bulk to their frames.

Having a look at the list, are there any positions you think you can make yours this year? As an indication of where you'll be playing, which coach have you been working closely with?

I’ve been working with Brett Ratten on a few different parts of my game, and talking and working with Craig Bradley about playing in the midfield. I’m happy to play wing, half back, midfield, or forward if needed. I haven’t locked myself into a position as I want to establish a regular place in the team first, and then specialize. Working with Braddles, Ratts and Sticks has been so helpful, one of the reasons I came across was the opportunity to work with legends of the club and just having them around is so valuable. Also as Craig Bradley is from SA its been an extra help, and you can pick up so much from someone whose played 375 games!

You're a former top-10 pick, and into your third year at the club, do you feel the pressure to perform this year? Do you think that we put too much pressure on young players?

I think I succumbed in first year to putting pressure on myself more so than I do now. I set myself high goals, but it wasn’t so much the pressure so much as trying so hard to get my body and mind right. I think there’s a lot of anticipation with the picks a bit higher than me who people expect to be young players who can make an immediate impression in the AFL, and I know there’s a few guys who are hoping to emulate what Murph did last year. My body and mind are ready now, and I’m much more confident and know that I can match it with the other guys. I’ve got some things to prove and I’m looking at it as a real positive that I played 10 games last year, and I’m looking forward to making a real impact in my 3rd and 4th years at the club.

You played half the year in the Bullants and they had a fantastic year, how different is the standard of football between the leagues?

I started in SANFL a few years ago and that was a lot different to the VFL. Then there are so many different characteristics when you step up to the AFL, its much quicker, and a whole lot more physical. Once you’ve stepped up to the AFL you feel confident if you go back and play VFL footy, as you’ve already played with and against some awesome players who are quicker, harder, faster, have bigger leaps and all the rest. It takes 20-30 games to get used to the level at AFL, and only supreme players can come in and take the game scruff of the neck like Murph and Deledio. You and Sean Rusling from Collingwood were good mates back in SA. Do you still catch up in Melbourne? How common is it for players to spend time with blokes from other AFL teams?

Sean and I have been best mates since we were 8 or 9, and we used to see each other every day growing up. It’s a lot different now, we’ve both got different timetables but we still catch up as much as we can. Its pretty common for players to catch up between clubs, these days there are so many trades and delistings, and there are lots of guys who are friends with players from other teams. If you go out sometimes you might see them and say hello, and you also see a few at sponsor promotions.

Are you still doing your Human Movement course at Victoria Uni?

I stopped it after first semester, footy was pretty full on and I just wanted to head home after training instead of having to go and study or attend classes. There were also footy trips when playing away and other club responsibilities, so footy took priority for me. You get really tired after training in first couple of years, and it takes time to get used to the rigors of AFL, but there might be opportunities to do something similar in the future.

Being a South Australian, did you support Adelaide United in the soccer on Sunday?

I watched it at a mate’s place on Foxtel, and was supporting Adelaide up until it got to about 5-nil. It was almost an AFL score in the end!

You participated in a Lawn Bowls event for charity last November with some high profile Rugby League players. How did you go? Any plans to give up footy and don the whites?

*laughs* I’m not too sure about giving up my footy career for it, maybe when I am 60 or 70 I might put on the whites again. I’d never really done it before, and I can tell you its much harder than it looks. You see a lot of older people on television who are playing it professionally and it looks easy, but it’s a different story once you are out on the green. Josh Kennedy had it down pat though, he was there too and he wasn’t bad at all, he might be donning the whites sooner than me!

You've kicked one goal in your career so far, against Freo in round 17 last year. Is it a vivid memory for you?

It was really awesome, I didn’t think Kouta was going to handball it to me, I thought he was going to swing around and have a shot himself. As it happened, he gave it to me and I put it through and it was an unbelievable feeling. My Mum and Dad were watching it live in South Australia, and I had a few friends in the stands so I gave a finger point to them when I celebrated. It happened so quickly, it was over before I knew it so I’m keen to kick a few more this year.

There was talk that you would return home and go to Port Adelaide, is all of that talk behind you now?

I can tell you that it is all behind me. A long, long way behind me! It was confusing during the trade period, it was like I was brainwashed for a couple of weeks, but in the end I am really thankful that I stayed, and Carlton is absolutely where I want to be.

It was very clear from the way that Jordan spoke throughout this interview that he is passionate about being at Carlton and that he has a very strong allegiance to his teammates and club.

Sounds like you are well and truly settled in Melbourne.

Yeah this is home and I’m really glad to be here. But I’m forever cleaning after my flatmates Adam Hartlett and Craig Flint. Adam and I have lived here since we first moved to Melbourne, and I am the housewife! Nah we don’t actually organize our housing chores, so whenever it gets too bad we just all pitch in and clean.

Anything else you want to say about your teammates’ unusual habits?

Yeah well fair to say every club has got a few boys who are very concerned with their appearance. I won’t mention any names but there area a few of our boys who own hair straighteners, and who wash their hair, blow dry it, then straighten it before applying face moisturizers and visiting the solarium. There’s so much accessorizing going on, its getting out of hand!

Mike and Dan note the preening habits of Carlton’s new generation and wonder if Adrian Hickmott, Ron De Iulio and Darren Hulme followed the same beauty routine in their time at the club.

How seriously does the team take the pre-season games? As far as the real season goes, does the coach take more notice of how you perform at training or how you perform in the pre-season games?

As you would know we won the pre season cup a couple of years ago, most teams always team say they don’t take it seriously, but in reality you want to win as many games as you can. We will be going full tilt over the pre season, and it is also a good opportunity to try different things. We want to win but it also gives us a chance to experiment with new game styles, new players, and to get used to the new rule interpretations. Its definitely an important time of the year for us, and we can get the younger boys working together and put in 100% into the games.

Having put the media attention from trade week well and truly behind him, Jordan is clearly passionate about the Carlton Football Club and the direction in which his teammates are heading. If his steely resolve to make an impact this year is any indication, Carlton supporters can look forward to some exciting moments in 2007 for this talented and determined young Blue.