It’s nearly AFL Community Camp time of the year again and as a born and bred Queenslander, I think it’s one of the really good things that the League does.
Going into regional areas that are often more used to the rugby codes is always an interesting experience, and you would be surprised at the level of support and warmth that we receive in these communities.
I wasn’t around for the first ever camp at Toowoomba in 2003, but from all reports it was a big success.
I was lucky enough to go ‘home’ to the Sunshine Coast in 2004 in my first year on the rookie list, and we received fantastic support there.
We headed north to Mackay – rugby league country - in 2006, and that was an excellent camp too.
We’re going further into the tropics this year to Townsville, the home of the North Queensland Cowboys, so it will be another interesting experience again.
A lot of people were probably pumped up by the success of the team in those earlier years, but we have found people are still interested no matter what.
A lot of kids don’t have much of an idea of what we are about, so it’s good to get out into the schools and educate them a bit.
For the kids who do like their AFL, it’s a great chance to have access to people that might only otherwise see on TV.
Townsville is sure to be pretty warm, but that won’t bother us too much.
We play an intraclub game at Coorparoo next Tuesday night, before we leave on the Wednesday, so we won’t be doing too much physical stuff while we’re away I wouldn’t have thought.
Before all that, the club has its annual race day happening at Doomben on Saturday, and for the first time I won’t be able to be there.
I’ve got a function at home on the Sunshine Coast that I couldn’t get out of, but I’m hoping to get trackside sometime soon to watch my own horse in action.
I’ve got a share in a three-year-old that will hopefully have a first career start this winter, most likely at Caloundra to begin with.
The horse has had a few injuries and so forth to this point, but we’re hoping it grows into its body soon, and we can get it on track.
I know I’ve had my own injury problems in the past, but hopefully they’re all behind me.
This has been the best pre-season that I’ve done for a few years, touch wood.
I’ve taken a different approach this summer – the focus has been on strengthening up my body, through the core and legs.
I’ve built into the training load a little bit slower than in the past, although I have hardly missed a session.
It has been good to get some continuity in my training, and I’m hoping the trend will keep going.
The Christmas break came at a good time, and I went down to country Victoria after Christmas and caught up with some family.
We went out to the Grampians, which many people down south will know well, and then my girlfriend Kaicee and I spent a few days driving the Great Ocean Road.
It is good to have the break in the middle of such a heavy training load, and now I can’t wait for the games to come around.
This is my fourth year in the seniors now, and the more you play, the more experience you gain, and the more your confidence grows.
I played some okay footy last year and I feel exactly like Joel Macdonald said in last week’s column – that it’s a very exciting time for the whole group.
The team has some exciting times ahead of it over the next few years and I definitely want to be part of them.
