The Mason Cox ShowOn this episode, as always, we're joined by the star of the show, Mason Cox. But let me tell you, this is no ordinary episode because we're celebrating a huge milestone – it's Mason's 100th game! Can you believe it? From his early days in the US to transitioning to Australian rules football, Mason's journey has been nothing short of incredible. We'll dive into his remarkable career to date and share some unique stories from his first 99 games.
All right, ladies and gentlemen, this is a very special episode. We've got the hundredth game coming up, so Brandon and myself I thought we'd deep die tell you some stories about my career, stories about the last one hundred games that maybe you haven't heard yet. And that's what we're here for. It's gonna be an interesting chat. I'm not sure where this is gonna go. There's gonna be some funny stories, some interesting stories, ups and downs, don't get me wrong. But it's gonna be exciting, I can promise you that. So listen, and it's gonna be good fun.
All right, everyone, very very special podcast that is about to get underway. Mason Cox, as you all know and love, the great man, A hundred game special now, very very big accomplishment. I think we all know the journey, but we'll go through the first part really quick. I don't know if you guys know this, but he was born in a America?
Was it American?
How am I? Yes? So he was born in America, found out about the game around twenty two, came over here and the rest is history.
Do I talk about college, na, No, I'll say that for another podcast after dark episode.
So we've been through the early stuff. Now we're just going to get right into the nitty gritty, the nuts and bolts, the one hundred games. So one hundred games for the Collingwood Football Club. Now it almost wasn't for the Collingwood Football Club. If you if you're judging by North Melbourne's videos that they put out there, head to toe North Melbourne kit, you could have been playing down in tazzy. I'm lucky got the game for Collingwood. Now talk us through this, because you know it's pretty head to toe. You had the polo, you were out there, out they were doing. They got Brad Scott doing interviews about you, going like, oh he's the next big thing, Mason Cox and we're going to snap him up. How close was it?
Not even remotely close?
I think look, North Melbourne, maybe just turn off the next if you're a North Melbourne fan, t off the next to being a minute of this podcast. North Milan walked in.
Brad.
You know, he's a coach of a football club, right the enact that decision. It's not on him what goes on behind the scenes and their club Arden Street beautiful, don't get me wrong, but whenever you go to calling a football club and then you go to Arden Street. You see the vast difference and the big kind of carrot they had. They had Eric Wallace there, absolute legend American that was playing for them on their list at the time, and they had the idea that he could, you know, grow me as a player and teach me how to play the game because he had been through it himself. That was their biggest carrot, and it just it just comparatively, it was tough, Like sorry, North Melbourne, but this is We've talked about this on the podcast. It's very hard to keep up with the top tier echelon clubs that have the facilities.
But where you're coming from though, is also college basketball college in the States. It's it's a bit different, right. We come over here and we're like, oh, Collingwood's the big byss.
But my basketball university university that I played basketball for, their locker rooms five x what Collingwood was So coming into the country seeing Collingwood's I wasn't to be honest, I wasn't impressed. I was kind of like, yeah, like I've just come from a way better facility, Like we had a half a million dollar marble staircase going from the top level to the bottom level of our locker room. We had just the cowskin rugs everywhere because we're in Oklahoma. I had the twelve TVs all lined up, custom pool table, like custom seats for the for the vision room. All that, you know, just stupid cash. There's a guy that donated over half a billion dollars to our university so you can.
Buy the whole afl exactly.
That's it, Like we all know it's I'm not getting into that, but there's just there's so much money that's influxed into this thing that, yeah, the facilities, because you can't play players, the facilities is where the money went. So it was always topp tier, top echelon type stuff and that came to here and everyone's like Callingwood be baddest in the land, you know, and to be honest, and you know, I love calling it obviously, don't get me wrong. But like whenever I came in, they were like, we have custom weight sets.
I was like, yeah, cool, bro.
There was things like that that were probably very impressive for Australian sports, but compared to the US side of things, it was almost below what I expected.
Yeah, and you would have been like, can these guys pay the check every month? You would have felt like it's a People told me that.
People told me, if you go to North Melbourne or someone else, you're not financially guaranteed to get your paycheck in the end of the month. And I was that actually scared me, being someone from half a world away thinking because I heard about AFL, I thought it'd be an Eastern European kind of like basketball that I didn't know if it was going to be successful or not. I'm just hoping to be able to make it out of the country, like if things go shit right, And that was like a big fear of mine. So someone I can't remember who it was, but someone could tell you, yeah, well seriously, I had no idea, so I believe whatever people to.
Now you arrived at Collingwood. Did the full signing got you over that? Had you know a big hand to play in that? How was the pitch in getting you over here?
There was a massive sales page, not only from the Collingwood and Derek Hines, but also the AFL, and they put a lot of a lot of media into this big American coming over to Australia and playing because I remember before I made my decision. Right last day in Australia, they take us out for this five star dinner. AFL shout out to the AFL, take us out to this five star dinner and they've got the agents. I'm gonna sign with her. There we get the beers a flowing. You know, there's Corona's on the table, There's you know, all these I couldn't fathom at being a kid that was eating Ramen noodles from college.
I was just like, what the fuck?
This is awesome red carpet treatment, right because they flew you around, flew me around everywhere, just you know, I was essentially media darling for them for a week and got these other beers flowing. You know, everyone's there that I kind of met throughout the week, and we get to the nitty gritty and stuff and they're kind of trying to get me to sign a contract. This is I don't know if I've ever actually told this story, but I am blind drunk, like blind drunk at this point. So it was like all the you know, all this stuff have been done for the week, Like we were very into this trip, hadn't had any enjoyment as far as like going out, having beers in a night out. So this was our night and we get up to this sports bar at the Crown. I'm sitting there in the two agents at the time that the AFL had given to me, you know, showed me because I hadn't seen any of the contracts beforehand. They showed me the different contracts. Port Adelaide, I think, was the only one that didn't give me a contract that I would look at. So you had like North Melbourne, Freemantle. I told them I wasn't going to go to Fremantle. So it's either North Melbourne, Richmond and Collingwood. Right, puts all three in front of me. You look through the details. Some are giving you a car, some aren't. You know, there's little details in there. I was so blind drunk, couldn't even read the lettering. I was hammered. And I'm at the sports bar and with the agents and we're finally getting down to business, right, business of like signing a contract come to the country or not. And I am so blind drunk, and I just look at my brother and I look at the agents. I go, can we just have five minutes please? Can we just have a little chat My brother and I just want to talk through some of the details here. My brother, no one who's been on the podcast. Great, great conversation if you have and go back and listen to it. And we kind of sit down and said, I'm I'm hammered. I can't read anything on this thing. Can you read this now? There's no chance for making decisions here. So we went back to the agent and said, we'll go to America, We'll talk to the fan, we'll sort it out, we'll sober up or than anything. Yeah, And it was like the IFL and the agents were like trying to get me to sign then and there before I left the country because they were worried if I left the country I wouldn't come back. Yeah, so it was a really interesting last night in Australia around it, and yeah, they kind of I feel like at times, looking back on it, I feel like they tried to dupe me into signing a contract I wasn't prepared to sign. Luckily, left my drunk conscious state, I was able to make the decision not to sign that. But I obviously went back to America and call up all the different clubs that thank you, and then talk Colin.
I was going to to go and play for them.
You have your very experienced agent Nolan. Nolan working old times tonight, he'll show up. Now let's jump into the journey, because it's a fair journey at that. So you fly, you know, halfway across the world and then you meet up with the team and you go on a pre season camp to Falls Creek, beautiful place. Beautiful place. Normally it's snowing there, but this time of year, you just go in the summer, so you're really you know, meeting the guys for the first time and battling it out in these really weird circumstances. What did you kind of take from that first big preseason training camp and in particular kind of meeting up with Brodie Grundy and kind of he really set the tone most years at preseason camps. He was a beast, So, like, what did you learn like getting into that.
I think the cool thing about that that was probably the first time I got to really get to know players because like we're all staying in the same hotel and stuff. You know, you're playing card games at night and all that kind of stuff, and you just get to know people on a personal basis because a lot of the guys played growing up. You know, I played against each other in different leagues and stuff here and there, and I'm just this token American and it's rolled up and you know, it's a first of four years camp. So these people are eighteen to like twenty two. Max, I think there was Sam Dwyer was like thirty. I rolled around. It's like, dude, you should definitely not be here. But I remember that was like kind of the big things. I kind of felt like I was just kind of like on the side because I was older and all these guys who are a younger kind of group that were coming in and trying to sort themselves out. And you think about, like how much you change between eighteen and like twenty three.
There's a lot of.
Life changing that happens between then and a.
Lot of these kids, you know, we're eighteen, We're trying to figure out what they're going to do and thrust into this AFL lifestyle and everything else. And that was kind of my way of getting to know people like Marley was a guy I got to know early.
Darcy obviously.
Brody was the main person that I think I looked to and you kind of look around and you go, Okay, who can I become close with I know he's gonna get me to the best part, sorry, get me to be the best player I can be. And Brodie is one of those people. He's one of the hardest work ethic kind of people, and he's a beast in the gym, like he works his ass off, and he's one of those people that never gives up. So I kind of, you know, you're right on the coattails of other people, you know, and you want to help them bring you to a certain level. And Brody was that person for me for a long time, and I still very close to them obviously, but we always kind of have those competitions going against each other, and I'd always try to be the guy that was trying to prove his you know, prove his worth. And we had Jared Witz also there, you know who's you know, yeah, big winners, Captain of Gold Coast. So it's there was a lot of guys in there that were big men that you know, are quite successful. Now that I was able to kind of have, you know, show me the ropes as far as what was appropriate and you know what you had to give up, what he had to sacrifice, and the effort you had to put into it. So yeah, those Falls Creek camps. That was kind of I think the biggest thing I got out of it. And and I remember back to the days of the some of the you know, the I guess the challenges Brodie and I you know, and he used to do like the boxing, and Brodie would just be the living shit out of you. Like that, man, No one wants to go up against me. Even whever he warms up for games. He is the most aggressive like bumps and tackles person before the game that I would always just like end up in the bathroom somehow magically because like we're the same height, so instantly you go with each other.
Freak.
But anyway, we used to have battles here and there. And there's one there's a famous photo whenever I look back on my career, all the different photos and stuff, and there's one of myself and Brody and I'm a scrawny, scrawny kid at this point and Brodie's the big human, you know, and we're running down this massive mountain after a full day of training. We're doing like ice bass in this like you know lake with snow on the ground and push ups all the way up this mountain and everything else to get to the very top, and there's a sprint down the very end to try to like win it because everyone's on different teams, and Brody and I were just in this dead heat and I remember, like coaches on like this is fucked, Like these two full momentum, like no stopping, pushing each other, trying to make sure like one one like well one one over the other. And there's this photo and we're dead even and I don't even know who wanted, but I just remember at the end of it, we were so fucked. I just laid on the ground so exhausted, and I was just like, this is the guy that I want to be able to push because I know if I push him, that's gonna be pushing myself to the limit also, and I'll be a better player for it. So yeah, big shout out to Brodie is one of those people. It's definitely made me a better human off the field and also a better player on the field.
It's a sketchy on that one running flat out down a gravel hill.
There was no like if I wanted to stop, I couldn't. The momentumly just carried us because it was such a steep hill, Like we just kept going. It was almost as though like the finish line was there and we just kept running down the hill another thirty meters past it because there's no stopping us. The cool thing is you've been here for a lot of these early moments too, like you were at the club seeing some of this as it was playing out.
Yeah, I felt like at the time we all knew that we were watching something that was significant. A lot of us like looked over stop what we were doing, kind of clapping you guys running in a lot of people shouting out and stuff like Yeah, and that what you said about that photo, it's almost defining of both of your journeys moving from forward from there.
Either one of us over fucking give in. But there spent so many times where it' be like sprints on the treadmill and staff and he sits there and he goes, I'm going to put it to thirteen. I'll put it to fourteen because I'll put it to fifteen or fifteen and a half. Yeah, he's such a hard worker. Yeah, he just doesn't. He's always the biggest man of the gym, always benching, the most, you know, squat and the most all that kind of stuff, and yeah, he just always wants to be better. And it's someone you always want to have, you know, in your in your corner, and someone you always want to have you know, helping you to be, like I said, the best player you can be.
And it is a difficult thing as we touched on we'd probably touched on it a fair bit in last week's episode, that it's your best mates with some of these guys. Yeah, and then fighting for a spot the players that you draw for the rough position. Brody Grundy arguably the competition's best, and then Jared Witz goes on to have a career as Captain of the Gold Coast and you're still here, so credit to Yeah, the hell I'll last at both of them. But the thing is one of those.
Moments I think in my career that I had to pick and choose was like I looked at it and I said, Brodie Grundy's rock, Jerry Witz's rock. I knew the coach's trust and faith was in them too. And then we're fighting it off to see it would be the number one rock at the time, and I was obviously like, you know, third fourth string as far as rocks to that point. And I kind of made the realization early in my career and lucky for it, and probably through some guidance of some coaches of saying like if I wanted to get playing time early in my career and make it in the AFL, I had to have something they didn't have, which is being able to play forward. So I made that commitment for a year to say I was going to learn the forward craft, learn different like leading patterns, everything else to get used to that, and then that would allow me to slide in be a second rock slash forward, which was somewhat of a spot we didn't have at the time, and they tried. Whenever they tried to play two rucks, it didn't work because it was just neither one of them who go play forward. So I was like, if I can fill that gap of something they're looking for, change the total trajectory trajectory in my career, and like so grateful for it because even now it's like we're playing with Darcy and myself, caring to myself and like both of us can go forward, and that it gives us, you know, gives us a bit of options in the rock. Whenever someone's playing good or bad, whoever it is, we can leave people in certain positions and the other one can still fill another role.
And as we go through there'll be a lot of sliding door moments very much similar to that. But we jump into your I guess it's technically your first game of footy.
First time organized football.
Yeah, so VFL Round one twenty fifteen in Ballarat, River of a game, real rough one.
Everyone wants to do play the first game in Ballarat.
Surely that's a bit of a tester. It's like, let's send the big yank out to VFL in Ballarat and see if he survives. Yeah.
I moved to this country and I was like beaches, beautiful women, beautiful weather, and you throw my ass into Ballarat where it was raining, sleeting, sunny, windy all in one game so bad that we had buckets of hot water on the sideline just whenever you came off. You could just put your hands in there, get a bit of feeling back in the extremities, go back and play. And I was like imember going to this game thinking, what the fuck have our decided to do with my life?
Yeah, driving away out there now, shout out, and I'm sure there's plenty of beautiful women out of Bellerratt, but you weren't alone out there. You played your first game Darcy Moore, Jordan de Goie, Brandon Maynard, Mason Cock. So it turned out in order to found out to be a pretty good little drafting period for them. Apparently you kicked the goal.
Yeah, I don't really remember it.
Yeah, and we don't remember but vision, but we'll take it. Now. Another obscure first game, which is probably your first game in the actual AFL squad, took place in Bendigo pre season against Carlton. Now this would have been you've had the experience in the VFL or whatever. Now this is a moment of yeah, am I ready to step up and play with the big boys.
This is about three to four, maybe probably about four months into actually landing in Australia and learning.
The game, knowing what a is.
Yeah, I was real nervous because I mean, like, at this point I'm playing a game I'm still questioning whether with an umpire points certain way of what the hell that means, Like I didn't know details of the game that people knew their whole lives, and I was just kind of like, all right, just run the same direction as the other ruckmen, follow him around, and you're surely just try not to make an ass to yourself. I did that, Okay. I will say I played a half a game. I came in at halftime, played against their rockmen, and yeah, it was all right, Like I got a few different hitouts. I think I showed it be enough promise to say like, oh okay, like he actually has, you know, a bit of coordination that like we might be able to work with. And I just remember it like the game was a bit crazy in that sense of like getting there, the bus ride up, and I remember getting to the locker rooms and it was like local footy of the locker rooms. I was like, life is really taking a real shit storm. Like it was just like grade six, like you know, school lockers, and that was.
The locker room. Yeah, concrete flaws, yeah, brick walls.
Like putting on booty shorts and a sleeveless jumper for the first time.
This is something that I want to ask you because obviously shorts above the knees in America really far, very for So what do you are you telling your mates back home what you're actually doing? Are you just telling.
Cherry picking the best parts?
And they were just like you're playing soccer, and I was like, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah soccer.
We're playing soccer.
So you even think, like soccer players have larner shorts in the AFL players, yeah, it's a real it's embarrassing, but anyway, I digress. It's very unique IFL to wear sleeveless in the middle of winter and shorty shorts in the middle of winter, but this is the way the world works. And even wearing speedos, like speedos you can imagine in America not a thing. So when I came over here and i'd wear my first speedos, it was a real kind of like cover your nuts moment, you know of like walking around and people just sitting there with the shit out and you're like, Okay, I guess this is going to be normal for the next few years.
And unfortunately, every time you're in speedos it means you're getting in and out of cold water.
Yeah it's not a pretty side.
No one's walking around strutting after getting in the ice bath, I'll tell you that, Brandon.
So there was plenty that came out of this postgame interview. You said it was your best and worst game of your career.
Yeah, so I never played any other game. It was hilarious, Like I had no idea what I was doing. And I remember, like one of the big things I remember from the game was walking off and you shake everyone's hand. One of the last people I shake was this guy and he had that much fucking.
Tape on him. It was just like, what are you doing? And I was shaking us.
And he was the nicest guy you ever met. He's like, mate, great story. When I was shot all the best in your career. Really you admire what you're doing over here and like giving you a crack And I was like, that goes so nice, you know. I walked off, has like thanks buddy, and then like next thing I know, I turn I turn around and he's getting interviewed by Chance seven. Where it was now I look at Darcy and Darcy was probably the person I was closest with this time. I said, I see that guy was super like who is he? He goes, that's Chris Judd. He's like one of the best players ever played? How do you not know who that is? And I was like, he's not the rockman. I don't know And still to this day, same problem. Now, twenty guys all around. I got no idea I'd recognize Chris Judd. Now, don't get me wrong, but there's plenty of other midfielders rolling around the AFL.
I got no damn clue. I often think that that you're really learning everything from scratch. I've been surprised over times when I make a reference and you're like, you know that situation, because there's there's a lot of history in the AFL, and I mean, you've only had a limited time to catch up on it all. I think it probably helps that your dad's a bit of a nut job with the oh my.
Gosh, my dad. Literally this is a funny story. I came I came home the first time after playing my first year. I came home in the off season. I walk in on our dining room table. Is Australian rules football for dummies. You know the big yellow books with like the black out lining, and he's written, he's read the whole thing, He's tabbed and like folded the paper corners of everything. He like about Collingwood, essentially everything about Collingwood. He's read the thing front to back. He would know more about AFL than ninety nine percent of fans. And he's from America. Stays up at like four am to watch every single game. Last night after the Carlton game, give me tips that I'm like, dad, No, just no.
I felt like giving your tips when I saw your set shut goal kicking. Now we're getting into the real stuff, and we've talked about this a lot, but twenty sixteen rolls around very you know, timely interview last week with Travis Klark, who made way for you to play your first game being picked, let alone picked for your first game to be an Zac Day. Yeah, did you know what you were getting into or was it just you know, you're just excited to play your first game.
It was a shit storm that week. I had no idea what to expect, what was going to happen. I've only experienced one Anzac Day before, and that was the year prior. I didn't I didn't really quite understand a lot of the stuff around it. Like I'd gone to the to the shrine, understood the history of like you know, the ANZACs but I think around the game and the history of it and the big spectacle that it is. I didn't quite understand until after the game, probably, but a lot of it, like there was so much I guess, like commentary around whether and I'd play my first game, you know, for the weeks prior and all that kind of stuff, and even the year prior, like we didn't make finals, and the club was talking to me about whether or not because Jason Holmes the debut is the first American ever born born and bread American never play and he played his first game. The club was like, oh, do we want to you know, do we want to try to give Mason that kind of same credit to be like the first one to ever play a fell And they kind of gave me the They said to me essentially like we don't want to rush this. We see a future with you, you know, we want to make sure whenever you play, you're ready for it and we're not just throwing this out there. And Jason played really well, so credit to him. And I always have to say on the second born and bread American ever play, and Jason hangs out on me a bit. But yeah, going into that week, like my parents found out I was playing for I did, got the Flights book and everything else, and then the brothers came over and it was just chaos like and the same thing whenever, like twenty eighteen and things like that around the Grand Finals, Like you look at the whole week and it's just like a bit of a blur, Like you do remember like little moments other things here there, but there's just so much going on that I don't know. It was kind of nice because once the game got there, you kind of were like, all this stuff that's been in my mind and happening here and there and everything else is just kind of doesn't matter anymore. It's like you can just focus on the game, and that was kind of relieving, to be honest. More than anything, it was just a crazy, crazy week. And then, yeah, Darcy Moore, who we talked about, you know, was one of the first friends I met in the club and his family kind of took me in. He looked after me and super super grateful for what he's given to me over my career. He actually gave me my jumper. And you think this kid's nineteen years old probably at the time, and his maturity he had to be able to do that, and that's like a special moment that people don't forget in their lives. And at nineteen to give a jumper to a friend of yours is pretty cool and it's a sign of you know, where he's at now. It's like, it's pretty cool to see him this captain and something I always kind of saw the opportunity for him to be able to do that if he wanted to, and he's taken it by the horns now, but to have him giving him my jumper and then be the person that kicked the ball into me, it was just kind of a pretty amazing moment, Like I don't even know that you can't really describe it. I'll never be able to fully describe it to someone. But take the Marc kick the goal and then have the whole team that iconic photo on my mind, if the whole team jumping on my shoulders, like it was just crazy, like fuck man, Like I never thought it would happen. I didn't think I'd ever really play an AFL game at times, and had been through some shit and then came out the other end of it and then kind of had the opportunity and took about the Horns, and luckily it was successful enough in it to get some more games behind that. And yeah, it was just cool to have the family there and Darcy be a part of it, and you know, everyone else be there. That kind of was through my career, and yeah, it's like so fortunate. This is the thing I think about mostly when I think of that day of just having everyone there and to wear decided to have the whole family in Talent once and then for them to be there on that day and experience it with me and just meant the world to me.
You kicked your first goal with your first kick, which is the first goal of the game. Crowd erupted. Then from there was it hard to kind of settle because you got around, you took some more marks and stuff, you finish out the game. The whole thing would have just been like a willing.
Yeah, the whole thing is a whirlwind, Like I didn't even looking back now, I think there's maybe one other play I really remember from the whole thing. I think I like tapped it down Alex Fasoldo and he had a shot for goal. But the funny thing is is looking back now and a lot of people talk about that game. They're like, oh man, you kicked like what five on An's act day first game. You know, it's like very Australian that they start blowing things up to be like bigger and bigger, and I'm like, yeah.
I did kick five. Maybe I don't know.
It's like you just kind of like it's your story, you're telling it, but you know, it's just the whole day. It was a bit of a whirlwind. And then like coming off and I remember some I've never talked about. I guess was Anthony Rocker, who was, you know, one of my coaches that really kind of showed me ifl and taught me through the early stages of my career. And he just came out to me and he's like, let's make sure this isn't a one off. And in my mind I kind of was like so excited about everything going, I was like, what the fuck is he talking about. Then kind of you get back to the rooms, you kind of think about it. You're like, okay, like yeah, it's you know, it's it's a great story and everything and now, but it's like this can't be a flash in the pan. Make sure it's a long career. This is just the start of it. So really good advice from Pebs in the moment, which was amazing. But yeah, it's just like it's a credit to him and in Craig, and it's like every time I play and do something good, like it's it's just cool to have them, I guess, like someone I can kind of go back to and think and be like, yeah, the reason I'm here, Like I don't exist, I don't have the experiences I've had without Craig and Pebs and Derek Hines and there's people are you know, stuck their neck out for me and the times that they didn't really have to, and it's cool to kind of have these memories with them to say, like they're the reason I'm being successful, and like all the credit kind of goes to them. I'm just there, you know, doing my job, but without them going to me in the right directions throughout my career, I don't get to one hundred games.
So it's cool.
But yeah, on the day, it was kind of crazy. And even after the game, I remember walking the streets trying to go find my parents and trying to go to dinner with them and stuff, and had all these essident people come up to me and they're like, I fucking hate Colin wed don't get me wrong, but what you did today was amazing, like something I'm so credible to be happy to be like a part of them to see it. And Asinth was going through their saga stuff and everything else and weren't probably the best team if they had ever put out on the park, but it was cool to see fans from an opposing team who hated cong with so much still be appreciative and like, yeah, like just sort of complimentary of the I guess thing that transpired.
So it wasn't just smooth sailing from that point on. It was game one, you know, the fairy tale start ninety eight games ago. It's game one of the rest of your career, and a lot of people start to then go okay, like start to pull you kind of down kind of mentality. How much did you feel like there's a chip on your shoulder that you have something to prove over the course of your career.
Oh, every day I walked into the club, I had something to prove. You can be American coming into a club not knowing what AFL is, and no one's going to give you any time of day thinking that you're going to be successful, no reason for them to think that was going to be successful. So I mean I really strugled with it for the first probably like three or four years of trying to roof to everyone that I gave a shit about AFL and I was going to be successful in this. And it was a grind mentally at times, and Craig Craig talked about it and stuff and breaking down out on the field and stuff and him kind of consoling me through those kind of times, which was amazing. But yeah, I remember it the first year, like I played that Anzac Day and played maybe six or seven games after that, and then Trav came back into the fold, and I essentially took a week off because my mental health was just shit ass.
Like I went to the alls for the thing I was.
I went to Dallsford with a girlfriend at the time and just kind of got away, and I think Jesse came back, Jesse White came back into the team, and I just was all over it mentally, like I just broke down. I think it was after Carlton game. I went into the rooms and we've got like a taping kind of corner and I just went in there. I just broke down, just like show crying. I was like, I can't fucking take this, Like I'm so far away from any kind of support. I wasn't playing perfect at the time. It was really hard on myself and I still am today. But that was kind of one of those really like learning moments in my career of like being able to deal with adversity and like people were on my ass about not playing well and like that and the media pressure and everything else that came with it, and I did. Yeah, I had to take a couple of weeks off just because I wasn't mentally in the right place. I've never really told anyone about it, but yeah, and I went away and came back and played a bit of VFL and then continued on with my career. But I think that was like one of those learning points of a real kind of like point in your career of whether it's going to go one way or the other, and whether you know you kind of sold the future and wanted to go through the stresses of AFL life and having a career in nex it's not it's not always rainbows and daisies, and in a beautiful time. There's a pressure that comes with it and everything else and not being able to get away from it, and you just had to sit down and say, do I want to make the sacrifices to have a successful and full AFL career? And luckily enough, you know I made the decision to make those and continue on.
It's very rarely sunshine and rainbows, even for the best players out there. And you said your mum said that you probably described you as like someone that won't give up, like someone that just keeps forging ahead. What was it that kind of got you back on track those situations being so far from home and not really having a family support network around.
We used to is like I said before, a lot of it goes to credit goes to Derek Hines, Anthony Rocker and Craig McCrae. Like Craig used to come over every single year for Thanksgiving. That was a massive thing for me, And I was in a shitty two bedroom apartment, like and we're make shifting at ikea table into the Thanksgiving table and putting all his turkey and everything else down. And yeah, it's just moments like that. Well, like Craig doesn't need to do that, but he goes out of his works. He knows that what's that's what makes me comfortable, and that's a big deal for me and to have him their mental lot. And you know, Pebs, I remember so many times going over to his house and hanging out with his family and like getting to know them and just having dinners with him, and that was kind of my home away from home, was going to his place and looking after me. And you know, you look at so many players that come into the system, and you know, not every coach can devote that kind of time and that kind of effort into into players, but they did, and like they kind of saw I guess, and the opportunity of myself and where I would go on life. And I'm forever grateful for what they've done because those tough times were made easier by them being there for me and me being able to trust them, because yeah, I think you go into a country, into a football club, and you've got no inner circle to bitch and complain about things whenever theo's shit, and like you don't want to complain to a coach because then you look like you don't give a shit or wherever it is, you know, and like you just don't have your like thing to Everyone goes to work, they go home. They usually release their stress when they go home to their partner or their family, wherever it is. I didn't have that, and like Craig and Anthony are the only ones I really could so to have them there and knowing they're in my corner and be able to kind of talk to them through things are the tough times and you know, I guess let out a bit of steam whenever I needed to and then not you know, referred on to a coach that was going to be detrimental to my career. Was something that you know, it's the inner circle and the people you really trust at the end of the day, and they were They were those for me and continue to be so I think then that was kind of like the thing that got me back on track was just having them as a support group. And I've got a lot of friends outside of football. People always ask me, oh, you're best friends of everyone at the club, and I'm like, I'm friends with everyone at the club. Don't get me wrong, but like my weekends aren't probably spent with them besides playing on the weekend playing football but I've never really done many trips overseas with them. I've never been a guy that probably goes out to lunch and coffees with the boys and stuff like that. I've always kind of done my own thing, and I've had my support group away from football because football takes up so much of my life and there's the media side of things and things I do there and the more attention from that and everything else that comes with it. And I've found an amazing group of friends internationally. They've come over here from the States and Vietnam and Sweden and all this kind of stuff. That those are my people I probably hang out with, and those are the people I put my time to. And yeah, it's it's an interesting thing because you're an American that plays AFL and you're so foreign, you don't have any experiences. They're similar to anyone else there, really, and you always feel like you're a little bit the odd one out.
Most of those guys, if not all of those guys, are on a very similar journey. Like a lot of them go through high school with the idea of getting drafted, go through the draft, get picked up from eighteen, and they go through the whole journey by themselves. Like some might drop short, some might get rookie listed, but the path is pretty similar, so it same goal. Yeah, so it'd be very hard for you to come in outside of that mold and just try to slot straight in and fit in with you know, a bunch of guys that haven't experienced anything that you've experienced. I mean, no one's really experienced anything that you've experienced. Now I will touch on it seems you're mentioning all of these guys. Eddie maguire. Yeah, you've had like a really tight relationship with him over the journey, and it sounds like over your time he's done a lot for you. How is that relationship with Eddie and and what's it mean to you?
Yeah, all Dad, he's a legend, him and Carlo's wife and his kids, Joan Xander. It's even like over the weekend he was up at the Carlton game obviously as you expect that to be, and he was up in his box and off the ground just kind of giving a wave to him.
And yeah, he's been massive.
Like I remember my first medad, I'd know you who he was, Like I was getting recruited and he's in the room and he's talking about this that and pumping up calling with such and such. My brother and I getting the taxi after the meeting and he's sitting there started getting that uber or whatever's after the meeting. Is a taxi in front of us, and his face is on the back of it. For who wants to be a millionaire at I've gone to my brother is he a big deal? And they're like, yeah, Eddie's like one of the biggest media moguls in Australia. So that was kind of like wild and just like me and my ignorance coming in here, you know, like i'd know who Nathan Buckley was. I didn't know any of these people were and I just kind of, you know, was just like all right, sweet, let's just figure it out as we go. But yeah, Edie's been he's been amazing. Like he's someone that on a weekly I'll probably send a message to and you know, talk about the game or talk about life and things like that. And he's a guy that's one of the most probably busy people in Melbourne, like, but he's always shown time for me and in every single year during Christmas, he's always looked after me and you know, had me over for dinner and stuff because obviously I'm that far away from home. And he's just one of those people, always been a support network and someone that's always you know, helped me out. Like I understand what's happened in the media and stuff with him, but I think I always try to judge people on my own interactions and he's just always been there for support.
And yeah, it's it's it's good.
It's good.
It's amazing to have those people there because like you value those people so much. I remember back in the day and we'll talk about it. I'm sure with my eye injuries and staff, like he was the only person from the colleing football club that checked in on me on a regular basis. And it's like this guy is the most he's the busiest out of anyone else there, and he's the one sending me a message making sure I'm okay, asking him find you need food, whoever it was, and it just it just kind of those moments where you're really in the you're really in the dark times, you realize who really is in your corner, and that was someone I think that I became so much closer with and so much more grateful to have in my life after that experience. And he was just the person that kind of always made sure I was all right and you just kind of, yeah, you have those moments of depression everything else, and you realize he's the He's one of those people that's always gonna be in your corner.
Yeah, there's a lot of people that will always have their opinions of Edin without knowing that's understandable who he is, like what's happened. But yeah, there is certain things like that that there's plenty of stories like that out there from times that he's reached out and helped help people. And yeah, it's great to see that the relationship you too have and obviously means a fair bit now. It's one of the standout highlights to me. Twenty sixteen, so still really young in your footballing journey. You get a ball straight up the guts Mason Cox just outside fifty and then a paddock. Fuck, they're all the guys in front of you, so Collingwood vg along. They're all kind of running away from you, covering up, leading up shopping.
They're chasing me to Alans. I don't have to do this yeah.
And off you go run take a bounce slot one from probably about forty on the run. What was going through your mind that whole journey?
Yeah, Bo gets switched outside, I'm in paddocks and I'm gone, shit. And it's not like you can come off the mark. There was that much space you hadn't take. You had to take the mark. Sorry, you had to play on the mark. There's those moments in your career you don't forget, and it's like the funny moments and all that kind of stuff. And I remember just sitting there and I'm going, I'm gonna have to bounce the ball for the first time.
I think everyone was thinking it and we have all gone.
Has he been taught this yet? And literally, I think it's maybe like weeks or a months prior. Pendles taught me, Like there's little things that people will teach you throughout your career, right, and Pendles taught me He's like, you have bounce it on the lass because the lasers get more grip on the ground. That fought it poss back up and doesn't skid out like it would whenever it's wet. It's smart man, Pindles. And I remember getting it and going like all right, cool, this is it? Bang as soon as I let it go, and I was like, oh that's good, that's good.
It bounced back up.
And then you go look up and then the players like Trav Varka and ever get trad Varco has gone and he's linked in to the goal square. Their player who I was hoping came to me goes with Trav. You know, I've gone, fuck more paddocks.
It's a real dropping off the three point shooter that can't shoot it is.
It's a real disrespectful kind of thing.
Right.
He goes back and traps kind of he's like coind of in between, So traups in the goal square and like I had the balance and I kind of run in and I'm like, I look back, Matlop's giving up. He's got this. I had to be a side to see and he's got He's gone back there. So I'm just jogging in and I'll slut the goal and then I think, thank fuck, because I would have got the biggest spray from Trav Varker and the goal square. But yeah, that was that was That was a funny moment of being like, you know, there's some things you know that I can pick up that probably aren't part of my repertoire as a recommend that you would think that I can figure out on the run and sort it out. And that's one of those moments of like doing something for the first time. And it was so funny, like I think everyone was giving me ship after it thinking like there's no chance in hell I thought that was going to happen.
And yeah, I think speaking of Trev Varker, you can see there's a moment when he can see it's going through and he just opens his arms out and throws his head up like looking up to the even it's like miracles happened. Miracles. So I just want to touch on this real briefly. But you have bounced the ball a handful of times in your career, and you four you said that you could remember. Yeah, I want you to run through them for us.
The Geelong one, I think we've got one. I want to say Gold Coast on the wing came in as a substitute.
No one out there.
Paddocks gets the ball kicked to me, I've gone ship, got to bounce it.
Here the Gold Coast bouncing goal on the run.
Gold Coast bouncing goal on the run COVID times. That's the other one. And then there's one more that was freemantle. Maybe I can't kick.
A goal on the run. Yeah, free mantle. But I don't know if you bounce it. It was a bounce.
There's another bounce. I can't remember it.
But they also it's funny that like that little thing sticks out a bounce and it's like of all the things in the hundred games or only one games, whoever, it is like anytime I bounce, the ball sticks out.
It's just rare stuff.
Now.
I guess we're probably in a great spot to just ask you a few little quick fire ones. Yeah, what is your favorite goal from your career?
Favorite goal? O. That's a tough one. Fifth goal Queen's Birthday that's up there. That was like took a mark about fifty out I think on the angle, goes through for the bag, big day, Queen's Birthday lock and sealed three votes, get the trophy type deal. I knew it too, knew it. That was good fun. I want to say that was the fifth the Melbourne goal few I.
Think it was like a year ago. The center Ye.
Didn't do anything literally hit out bang, I'm jogging in the middle, just the dickhead on the outside. One person gets tackled, another person flicks.
It over the top.
I'm just there and I'm just like the ball just gets in my into my lap and then just kick the goal. That was a good one. On the boundary versus Geelong Snap, Yeah, that's a good one.
One.
I'll never forget.
That is port Adelaide in the corner trying to do a check sid or banana, and it's like, maybe like second year, I want to say, I'm in the corner on the boundary and I'll never forget because I'm sitting there and I'm like a year or two into a rite, so I've not done many of these. But I was like, fuck, it's no expectation.
They had no expectation.
No one's thinking a chance.
This is going in, even to the point where Pindles never Forget this comes over cheekly, acts like he's trying to talk me through. He's going to give me the receive, give me the handbover, receive, give me the handover, receive me.
The audacity goes, oh my.
God, I got this, Pindles, you gotta step off right spread went through it for a point, Pingels just gives me the daggers after I'm just looking away, like nope, don't see, you don't see, you don't see Pendles.
Yeah, retrospectively, should have gave the handball receive.
My favorite Top of Mind Richmond, but not pre Limb twenty nineteen. In traffic, there was about five of them around you. No one comes at yourself, candy, candy, candy, and then just slots it, snaps it through. It's like, come on, leave him alone alone. Oh, it's just out of nowhere. But that one is one that it doesn't get hold up. It was cool too.
Yeah, celebrations around a Kiss FM, getting around it, donating money for a good cause that was good.
For and out the back just the cheeky one on the road like.
Barreled someone into Jamie. Jamie turns on. What the fuck is that all about?
Okay, Now, this was probably in one of the more obscure things, and I assume you get asked about this a fair bit. But Joe Biden meeting the president, well he was like he was the vice president at the time, But how did that all come about? And what was he saying during the game.
I had no idea what was going on. It was what we what he called murder ball, which is essentially we called it something else that's in a appropriate to say on the podcast being from Texas, but essentially tackling one with the ball. It's like a game and the recess whatever. Everyone will play. But now that that was a wild experience. One of the coolest things I think experience was that's come from AFL was that Dad knew before I did, because, like I told, my dad was like, oh, the US consolated asked me who I've got a really good relationship. They're like, we need to get a background check on you. We've got high profile person coming into the country. I had no idea who it was. At that time. They hadn't released it, and they can't release these things until like kind of pretty close to it. So the media got onto a Dad knew that that happened. And then my dad, who listens to like Triple M in the morning, and it's like, yeah, I think this is like what three pm US time, like six am Australian time. He's listening to like Triple Them in the morning. They said, oh, Joe Biden's coming, So my Dad calls me at like eight am and he's like, Mason.
Are you are you hosting Joe Biden?
Is that who it is?
You know?
I know you got the clares ball. I was like, I don't fucking know.
Like he's smart man, Old Phil Cox and surely enough forget to call maybe an hour later like, hey, just the heads up. This has gone into the media. Joe Biden's coming to town and that's who you're kind of looking after. So to say that you kind of like that was crazy. And I don't think people here understood how much of a motorcade and experience and everything else that comes with the person of that kind of status coming to Australia. They shut down the streets. You know, They've got two like two massive airplanes just full of equipment to bring in just for one person. Obviously the people come with them, but like just to show one person there, and that was an amazing kind of life moment I'll never forget. Like hosting a vice president. That's pretty crazy to think, and he had no idea what was going on. They had the secret service, nicest people they ever made, but one of them like full trench coat earpiece like matrix who you would picture to be Secret Service was not trying to blend in whatsoever, just stood next to you know, next to our aisle the whole time or a row and it was just the whole thing was pretty wild because you just don't realize, I guess how much it goes with it. And like there was Secret Service everywhere. They had wept the whole MCG beforehand make sure there's no issues, Like there was police, like fifty police policemen and women, you know, outside of the room to make sure there's no issues. Like it was crazy. And then there was like secret Service like dotted in the seats that we didn't know secret secret Service. Yeah, and then like we go in and then there was like different. Then they had like a swap of Secret Service at like halftime or like a quarter time or something like that, and there was like so many things in motion behind the scenes just for this one person to be there, and it was so cool, and yeah, that's that's a memory, Like that's up there with anything I've done in the AFL field. And shout out to colinwa because I had to have a very stern conversation with them whenever I was told I was going to host the Vice president. We were playing a big game Frankston Dolphins in the VFL that week and sends up fins up, fins up told frang At and yeah, so I had to ask the club essentially permission to skip the game to go host the vice Isn't it.
A note from Joe being like, please leave him, Please let him come out and play.
He's a sitizen of us, not yet you and I remember Neil Baum was the gym at the time, and I had to because I knew Bucks is a very stern man. I loved Ducks, but I knew neil Baum was a bit softer, you know, I could get into Neil Baum a bit. So went into Neil's office and I said, look, this opportunity has come up. This is what's happening. You know, it's just something that I could do, skip this Frankston game. And he goes, I'll have a conversation with Bucks. He doesn't have a conversation.
Bucks.
Box comes back to me because I understand what this means. We'll let you have it.
So create to the club the coach Neil and sorry Bucks and Neil at the time for let me do that, because it was a moment I'll never forget my life and.
Really cool, just really cool. I still about the pin.
I've got a little coin from him and stuff like that too, And now he's President of the United States and it's just a crazy cool life experience story you can tell people.
And the Secret Service couldn't have stopped you if you wanted to.
I literally could not have been more immobile in my life because I knew there was a sniper rifle at my forehead quick all the time.
It was legit though.
It was me and Matt just sitting there like just you know, like in the airplanes here this armress question marks like he got the armrest for sure.
There was no doubt Joe Biden is getting the arm wress.
And it was just one of those things like it was so like nerve wracking that kind of made it awkward and like I had never been in a position of something like that right, Like that was next tier, top tier type stuff that was going on, and I just felt so he made it really comfortable. Like as far as charisma, he is an amazing human. I get why he's a politician because he just fits the bill really well. He can maneuver in and out of conversations a bit like Eddie does, you know, and he makes everyone feel valued that he talks to, which is really it's a very very good and tough skill to learn, and damn he was. Really he's really good at that. But I still to this day I think the reason he came out to Australia obviously he opened up a part of the hospital his son had brain cancer, I think was the reasoning he opened that up with the ribbon cutting. But another reason he brought his granddaughters and they wanted to see a koala and a kangaroo. Because at halftime like, oh, where's the you know, where's the granddaughters over there is? And he's like, oh, they're in Heelsville already, like pat and kangaroos and koalas they wanted to go see. And into this day I still think that was a main draw factor for him to come out here.
You should have went out and did that one Now, from one experience, go to the Killsville or the or the granddaughters.
Okay, I just want to clear that out there.
Now. One experience of Joe Biden at the g to another experienced tenant creek in the middle of nowhere now amazing journey. And we went on this trip together and it was it's always a real eye opener and anyone that works at the club, it's like, you got to get on this trip. Yeah, talk to us through that trip. Yeah. And the effect that it had on you.
Yeah, it's it feels like you're in a different country. It really does. And the vast difference in the way of life between you know, the city to the outback is it's pretty crazy.
It was.
It was a very you know, like confronting at times, but also like I remember, there was a lady there that took us through and talked about some of the negative things that were happening in the community and the tough things that were happening because of situations, and.
It was it was very eye opening, it really was.
And I think just because I had gone straight to Melbourne and I was just known the city life, really I didn't realize just exactly what was happening outside of, you know, the bubble of Melbourne. And I've always been a massive advocate for the digitous community and had some amazing experiences with them over the years, but I think that Tenant Creek one was the one that really opened mars As to one of the power I think that AFL has as athletes and what we can do to help influence people in the right way. And being in those very remote communities, it was like waterloo downs we were talking about.
We had to like walk through like floodwaters to.
Get to and the head I remember sitting on the hood of the land Cruiser are like going through it. There's just like these really remote places and you know, the one thing that brought everyone together was sport, was football and you just realize. I think that twenty eight team trip to Tenant was just one of those realizations of just the power and impact you can have as a sports person. That kind of made me realize it. Yeah, it's a beautiful thing that that got me really invested into the indigenous side of things. And like I said, I've gone up to Tivy Islands and don't community work up there and doing community work all the way from Gold Coast all the way up to the very tip and Bamagay up in k p Ork and something very passionate about to help change the futures for the better for some of these some of these people that are you know, living a bit tough for limited remote communities and you know, to try to give them opportunities elsewhere. It's, you know, something I'm very passionate about. Yeah, that Tenant Creek definitely changed me. Yeah, just some amazing people you meet there and just what the community does and how sport brings everyone together is it's such a powerful thing.
And I can talk about tee wee.
They were nuts up there, like walked into the like there was kids and they found out that I was there. We're waiting for us at the dock as we went fishing, waiting for us at the dock every sing all day. And there's kids walking the fence line trying to get a glimpse of moon, or there's crocs in the water, Like just some stuff you just wouldn't think in Melbourne would be happening in the same country. And you go to the local pub and they're they're throwing the Callingwood theme song on for like an hour straight on loop, just whenever I'm there, and like people are hanging off you, and kids are hanging off you and they can't believe it, you know, and talking about we're always you know uncle and you know brother and all this kind of stuff, and it's just such a cool experience to be in these remote communities that like, you know, that is what they live and breathe as if l and like I didn't know it existed, you know. And yeah, I don't know if I've ever told this story of There's a lady I met on that trip up to the TV on and she was one of the last elders I think, or one of the living elders of their tribe.
And she was there and met her.
Very lovely lady, older, older lady, and I've gone back to Melbourne and then really really Junior actually sent me this and I feel people sent me this and it was she had unfortunately passed away, and that he was telling the story of how she flew an American flag outside of her house, mad Collingwood fan flew an American flag outside of her house because she like was a massive fan of myself. And I was thinking, me impacting someone in a remote community on the TV Islands enough for them to fly an American flag outside of their house makes no freaking sense whatsoever. But this lady was the most lovely human. I met her when I was up there, and she like I said, she unfortunately passed away, and then he's sent me this photo and I was like, I was blown away and it was her casket and the casket was in collingwood stripes, then had the logo in the middle, and then it had Mason Cox's forty six on it. Crazy on a casket in the TV Islands, And I've asked them, they said, it's fine for me to tell the story. But that was a moment of just like, yeah, there's a twenty eighteen Intennant Creek. But I think that was another moment where I was like, holy smokes, like what we do we probably take for granted of like what we do day and it's pretty phenomenal how much people love it and breathe it and just live it and you talk about, you know, bleeding for your team and stuff like that. Like there's people that that is their life and that is their happiness.
There's their joy.
Is the one thing they look forward to every single week is watching comould play and it just makes you have a different perspective to footy. Well, it really does. And that was, Yeah, that was one of those moments that I'll never forget. And it's just like a crazy life experience for me to think back on.
And yeah, you leave that just the joy in their faces, seeing their faces and like genuinely light up, especially you because you're even more foreign. You're over two meters toll. They're like sitting on your shoulders and stuff running around. But yeah, it's also like a carrot to get them to go to school and keep attendance up. And it's genuinely life out there, like they live and breathe it, and it's yeah, it is awesome to go out there and see firsthand how much it does mean into them because it gets thrown around a lot, like footy is everything to some people, but like it genuinely is out there and it makes a massive difference to those trips. Now another we're getting into some good games and we actually have proof that you can play more than one good game.
Yeah, can you tell the people on social media.
That now twenty eighteen Queen's Birthday, shout out to the og, Prayers to the Queen. Five goals still your best to date goal holes? Yeah, yeah, you have kicked a bag. Yeah, you've kicked a bag. You go on to win the Neil Danaher Medal Trophy. But yeah, talk us through that game.
So I was thinks, like Brody and I are playing the rock against Max Gone, and that was kind of one of those moments, I guess, going against one of the bigger ruckmans and then one of the better rockmans in the camp, whether an idea would stack up, and luckily enough that that worked out. And there's another moment. I'll talk about this because the Melbourne game, right, so let's talk about sliding doors moments into my third year twenty seventeen, it would have been very last game we played Melbourne. Melbourne's has to win to get into the eight. We win, we knock him out of the eight. We weren't making finals, right.
Lindon Nunn goes nuts on the side.
Of nuts and I remember after the game, he goes nuts. I remember going over actually remember going over to Dunny and I just said to him, I said, man, I appreciate it. It's been a good ride. I'm appreciure all to help you've kind of given me and whatnot, just kind of giving thanks. And he was kind of like, what are you talking about you now? And I was at that point I kind of already had something in the mix as far as me going to another team, and because the club hadn't given me a contract, another team had come to the table and given me one, and I thought that was the last game I was gonna play for Collingwood. I remember getting to the end and going to the post match and that was the wild thing is is like that was the big question mark? Can we played Brodie Grundy and Mason Coxon the same team In that game? We dominated Melbourne, we won, everything was on the line for them. We ended up winning that game and it was kind of proof that we could and the club probably had this moment. I was ship like this might be the future.
Who knows.
And I hadn't had a contract there from the club. I had a contract from another team, and I was mentally I was out the door and I was like, it's been It's been a good ride. Yeah, I'm going to move on to another chapter in life and I'm're getting to the end of the game. You talk about people in your life, and Eddie he always talk funny. I we always talk about the funny moment of him finding out and he came up to me and I just said, look, I appreciate all the help you've had over the years and everything you've kind of given to me and the support you've kind of given to me. And he's like, what are you talking about? What are you? You're not leaving us, so are you? And I was like, I'm not going to say anything, but like it's just, you know, I just want to say thank you so much for everything you've done. And he talks about going home and I'll talk to his family about this. But he goes home and throws his jacket on the countes and what the.
Fuck have we done?
Are you kidding me? We're losing Mace. Mason's not going to fucking say this. He goes this huge tyrant for the whole line, and he's on the phone with you know, with all the different people at the club saying you can't and yeah, Like in my head, I'd already kind of made the commitment. I'd verbally committed to another team. And there was some things that happened behind the scenes around visas and stuff that I'll talk more about at some point in my life. But things have happened, and over the next few weeks, I guess I don't know if Eddie made phone calls. I don't know the details to this, but miraculously, all of a sudden, the club came to and came to me with a contract that matched the other one. That was the reason I stayed. So yeah, it happened very quickly. But I think that sliding Door's moment of me coming back into the team, it was in my mind the last game I was ever going to play for. Collingwood played really well with Brody and they sold a future of us playing in the tandem, and that kind of got me to stay at the club, which is kind of crazy to think.
And some massive things happened throughout the twenty eighteen season. I will say that Queen's Birthday was my last game. Yeah, and it didn't look like a lot was going to happen with Collingwood to that point. I was like, I'm getting off this sync. But there's also something else bigger at play than that. Murray Swinton, who came through the club, who was suffering from M and D, was just a massive Collingwood man. Got around with your scrapbook full of Collingwood moments and stuff, had a really powerful impact on the club through that twenty eighteen season.
Murray was most people like you'd been diagnosed with M and D was going through this rough trial of treatment and everything else. To have him there as part of it, we really kind of took him in as our own his family also, and you know, you talked about the scrap books and stuff like that, we talked about and everything else, and it just one of those people just loved Colin.
I just loved it.
And that I think brought us back to, just like I said before, the influence we can have on people, on how much it meant to other people and our fans, and it really kind of brought us to this realization of it's bigger than just us as a group. It's you know, we bring the community with us and everyone else and it provides so much happiness for so many people. And Murray was a big reason I think we had successful on Queen's Birthday only wrong, but also throughout the rest of the year, and we put quotes up on the board from him and you know, throughout the year and talking about like how fortunate we should be, how great grateful we should be of what we've been able to do, and you know, the opportunity to side in front of us. So Murray was a big reason I think for a lot of success in that year.
And yeah, he came through the club. We did a story on him and he was very selfless, like he wasn't really thinking, he was thinking about everyone else before himself, and yeah, it's such a touching story. Obviously Bucks went down the slide wearing Murray's Firefighting Kid and yeah, it definitely had a big impact on Bucks as well. So yeah, a very touching story and just a reminder to support M and D danaher foundation. Get on the Beanie is ahead of this year's King's Birthday game now the big one heading into the pre Limb twenty eighteen. It all culminated in essentially you stopping Richmond from getting the four feet. We all say, yeah, we got teammates or whatever whatever people say, it's all not in this case, it was you, Mason c.
I already had a good game too.
Was there anything different about this game that set it up to be what it was or did it all just fall into place at the right time. I kind of think it.
It kind of marries up to the rest of my career of just being an underdog at every point, and that's what we were on the day. Like no one expected us to win. I think Richmond had how many games they wanted to row a d MCG blah blah, this massive streak and I had won the two previous years in the Grand Final, Andy all this kind of stuff. No one gave us a chance, and I was like we were playing pretty well, but like obviously Richmond was just at their peak, the peak of their powers, and yeah it was. It was interesting, like I think going into it, like I had an epidura on my back the week before, so that kind of put some I had some issues, I guess health wise and whatnot, and got the epidura and that kind of made me feel back to normal. And then kind of was like, well, you got nothing to lose here, like no one picture, no one.
Things you don't when so you're playing against arguably one of the best defensive lineups, like going around like Alex rant.
Like it was They're a good, good outfit, and yeah, it just was one of those things like you just the whole it wasn't just myself either, it was the whole team was in flow state, like it was just it was wild, Like it's similar to essential the first half of the Grand Final until we lost but everything seemed to be working and everyone was clicking, everyone was on the same page. And I think I was probably just the benefactor of that, like just being the person in the forward line that we kind of looked to to kick a goal and you know, was on on the day and kind of got I guess the the credit in the sense of everyone else is good doings. So you look on those games in their career defining moments and stuff like that, and everyone will always mention it, which is awesome to have that, I guess in your in your memory bank.
But yeah, it was.
It was a wild scenario.
I hope like mom and Dad were there, and I talk about like one of my favorite memories from the days, I used to kind of I can't do anymore.
It doesn't lie me, but.
I used to go up to the edge of the MCG at the race after games and just see, like the MCG is an empty kind of like coliseums. It's a it's a like kind of a weird feeling and eerie feeling, but like really cool at the same time. And I used to do that as just a coming down moment from like the craziness and the you know, the atmosphere and everything else from games and you're up all night, you know, thinking about this, that and the other. And that was kind of my way of just like taking a breath, was going up there and just kind of looking around, being like, life's pretty fucking crazy. And went up there, and the thing I remember probably the most from the whole game is like being up there and my mom. I wasn't aware of it until she she had walked up the race and put her arm around me, and she just kind of said, like, you know, I'm so proud of you and and what you've been able to do.
It's pretty crazy where life takes your.
Kind of thing.
And that's that's the number one People can talk about goalsy kick, talking shit to whoever it is, this and that. But that's the one thing I remember the most and probably tells you how much, Yeah, that means to me as far as family, But yeah, there was a career de finding moment, I guess. And to think that like the guy who was four years and knowing what the sport was about, to you're playing to a Grand final, it's just absurd. And just the absolute storm that came after that week of just everything that is a Grand Final was such a learning moment for me, I think, And how would.
The attention post that You're playing the biggest sport in Australia on the biggest club in the land and you just taught to pieces the prelim final. How is the attention after that going into a Grand Final? Oh?
It as wild, like just yeah, I don't I don't even know how to describe it, to be honest. I remember we had our media day at the club. I think I was there for an extra hour and a half or two hours after doing interviews with people, and I wasn't happy with that because I was trying to focus on the game and it was just kind of this whole thing of like trying to make the club is trying to make the most of the opportunity of being in a Grand Final. I understand that, but also the players were, you know, in a unique standpoint of like just you know, the situation beating Richmond, going into Grand final versus West coastin you know, been what eighteen years since the last Grand Final and being such a big club brings a lot of attention, So yeah, it was it was a whirlwind of a week, like so much happening. The brothers started like flying in and then you know, surprise the parents and mom and dad were there, and then trying to organize tickets and everything goes with it, and then they got the parade and it's just literally every day is like something new, and it was just like just chaos, absolute chaos, and it was cool. Now, Like I mean, I look back and so fortunate to be able to experience that. I always kind of say it is everyone talks about that year. Oh, you're so close to like winning the whole thing ball bah, you know, you're one kick away and all this kind of shit. But to be honest, like me from an experience standpoints, like I've experienced everything, but carrying a gold medal around my neck and life is a bad experiences. You know. I can tell you most people I probably won a Grand Final and have a Premiership medal don't see it every day. I probably would think about that, you know, every day of my career and what I've been able to do and some of the experiences I've come through it. So I'm very fortunate in being able to experience that what I've loved to win it. Yes, well, I hopefully win one in the future, yes, but looking back, I can't be upset with the opportunities of come my way from the decisions I made. Same I mean looking back, I mean I could have sung with Richmond or I first came to the country, and I could be sitting here with three medals, maybe even four exactly.
Oh well, there was one piece we won't touched too much on the Grand Final.
Don't remember it locked that out of the memory.
But you did talk about seeing your old man while you were up on stage. Just after the parade.
Is the funniest thing. So you got in the parade, roight slot parade in.
So you go up onto the stage, the captains both touch the cop and hold it up whatever it is, show it to the fans, you know, and then it's the awkward who lets go of it?
Last? Bullshit? Whatever.
I get on stage, and I'll never forget because I knew my parents are there, my brothers are coming to town, like it was a big house. And then like I'm scanning, you know, trying to find my parents in the crowd, and I see my dad. My dad is wearing one of me the most horrendous kits you've ever seen. He's got the big Cockzilla shirt, which is the hilarious love that. And then he's got this like hair piece that like it's like a mohawk three sixty round the head. We'll shirt on social but it's like hair piece up and he's got it. He's just grinning from here to hear it is like he's loving it more than I am. He's just living the absolute dream, this man.
And it was.
It was one of the funniest moments of my life because I couldn't stop laughing the whole time I was out there.
I was like, that's my father, doesn't everyone knowing?
Everyone doing everyone, Let's go.
He's so high. It reminded me of the photo's hilarious, but it reminded me of like a preschool of going to primary school for the first time. Like just proud as punch, Proud as punch. It was great. Great to see. Now let's flick through the tail end of this because we're getting lunk. There's a bit of a downside coming out of the back end of this, and it's your eye injuries now injuries, because there's a whole heap of them. They're like hardly hanging in there inside your scale, so talk us through this. You copped finger to the eye, went all the way to the back of the scale. You got detached. Retina's coming out of the wazoo dark rooms, laying on your back, can't do anything, can't see anyone, frustrating recovery because it's not just like a standard ankle or like a hamstring or something. It's your eyes. And also fearing that this could be it for the future of your football, but also your vision. Like there's a lot going on in your head. What's this rollercoaster journey been about? And this is before we get to your stuff about playing in goggles in front of hundreds of thousands of people.
Yeah, the eye injury by far most depressing dark times in my life, Like can safely say that.
And it's the whole thing.
Being away from home, Yeah, your work and your job and being not being able to do that and not being able to show up to work, and then you lose one of your senses and you're just essentially putting full faith in doctors and you have no idea what to expect, and it was it seemed somewhat innocuous, never happened, and didn't think any of it, and then whenever I went and saw the doctor essentially not only that, but had the two detached threaten as I came out of it, and it was blind for a decent chunk and one of the worst things I probably don't talk about too much. One of the worst things about it is you come out of there right And I remember going to a game and playing like Geelong and a semiar prelim, I think, and I couldn't see anyone on the field. I was just sitting there and just thinking to myself like, probably never going to play this game again. I probably never going to be able to go back out there and be able to perform on the big stage. And yeah, it's quite depressing times You're thinking, like what do I do next in life?
Like what's what's the next thing?
Is?
What can I do? Can I even write an email? I can't see at the moment, So like, am I ever going to be able to work a normal job again? Am I ever going to be able to, you know, do the simple things in life that I took for granted for a long.
Time, and I didn't know the answers to it at that point. And get to the next scene.
I think it is progressively get better, but obviously you're waiting on time because you can't just flick your fingers and go, okay, everything's back like to normal.
It was. It was a long process. I'm still going through it now.
But I got to the next year, and it would have been in the best shape of my life going into that next year, and we unfortunately I couldn't see, which doesn't help. It was in the best shape of my life and going into like twenty twenty, was really looking to have a great year, but just like physically couldn't see anything. Like I think I've talked about it as like I was going into marketing contests. The ball was coming in, I would just engage with the defender because I had no idea where the ball was going to land, and I was just essentially hoping that he knew where the ball was going to go, and I could just last second kind of put the arms out and take a mark and wasn't launching the ball whatsoever. And it was essentially half lined out there trying to play football, which is impossible say tackle. On the fact that we're going through a pandemic. I can't even see doctors to get properly like looked at I'm essentially just going off phone calls at this point, trying a bunch of different options as far as contacts, and nothing working. It was just frustrating, like so frustrating because you just you felt physically like I'm the shaped my life. But then you have something that is so necessary and it's such a necessity to football you can't fix and you can't do anything to make better, and you're sitting there and that's what's holding you back, and that was like the shittiest thing. Like it was not only that the covidself obviously everything else of the chaos and stress of that, but the fact that you couldn't properly do your job and you had these high expectations of yourself, wanted to be successful and felt like you're in the best shape of your life, and your body was just not allowing you to actually complete just sacked as shit. And you go through that year and I'm one, so I SENTI had to play X amount of games to be able to get into another contracted year, And there's stories behind that, I'm sure I'll tell at some point in my life. But eventually ended up getting the extension, which was massive for me because I wasn't really sure what the future was going to hold, and everyone's in this depressive state of being, you know, absolute shitout, and I think we were like I can't remember what we were in the hub.
We went, you beat West Coast which was one of the old time finals, and then came out and couldn't back it up. Unfortunately.
Yeah, West Coast goes out and that was kind of like I think went into that we were fucked after that game.
But because that was the one where they had you sleeping in caravan, all of that stuff outside.
Like just shamble shit show trying to get it together in West Coast, you know, with Mark McAllan essentially a different country at the time, not wanting us to win that game, did everything in his power to make sure we couldn't. And it was kind of like this bullshit of politics and sport that kind of ran through and it was like, we're looking from the other side. It was embarrassing the way that like politics handled that and we were putting the worst situation essentially handcuffed the whole way through. And then we got to the game and just gave a big fuck you to West Coast.
And when by one point.
That was one of those moments I think where myself and DC were playing at the time together and.
It clicked again.
Last game of the year, last game of the year and or second to last game of the year, and you kicked three, kick three, and there was a guy, never forget it, this guy in the stadium or in the stands. He's this big, overweight fella in the cheer squad. And I'm on the line, I think I'd kicked one, and he's there just giving it to me, saying, you fucking Trump supporter in American piece of ship.
Oh, going at me.
I'm looking at this guy must be the wildest human I've ever met, you know. He's like, oh you're gom Yeah.
Missing that, you know.
And then kick the second kick the third gave him the sh and told him to sit his ass back down. Yeah, and that man just didn't say a single thing the rest of the game. And it's those it's those moments where like you want to prove people wrong, you know, and that's what that gets me up. And about touch you, I'm like, all right, I'm to just put people back in their fucking place. But yeah, that that game was amazing. I think in my career looking back, in some of those games that you're up against the wall, no one expects you to win and you somehow come out on top and the situation and of course taked onto it is something you're kind of, I guess, proud of how you're able to handle it as a club. Also tacked onto the getting to win over there, and.
We will touch on him. The goggles side, A lot has been said about them over the journey.
Signed a poster to have your goggles coxy after the game last week.
You probably need them.
Yeah, they're way too custom for everyone else to have, But what was.
The whole experience like playing with them for the first time, even getting them past you know, the AFL, to getting them out onto the field.
The little thing was so AFL had never really seen anything. I think someone else supposed glasses once before. But yeah, I'd done all on my own. We did all the research to find them on my own. So I had multiple trials with contacts and then googled sports glasses and I saw some NBA players wearing them stuff like that.
Just googled it.
There's one person out in col ac i Sports Dot Condo you shout out to them who have helped me through the journey, and just kind of drove out to coal Ak. It's funny, ever, drove out to cool Ac and they had different tints of different colors and we sat there and put them into the into the frames, had to kick with his kid on the ground out there, and just kind of decided which tints I wanted, you know, And we went through this whole process of darker and medium. And people will notice all my glasses, there's one that's darker than another because the injury, and it just really kind of honed in and just knutted down this thing of like trying to figure out the details of what would work the best, and and it was it was interesting went and did that. No one really knew about it, and I just shut up one day at training and I was like, well this is It was a really kind of like moment of nervousness. Like I remember like thinking, like what are people going to say? Like what's going to happen?
You know?
And I think players were aware of how bad my injuries were, but until I started wearing the glasses, I think the story kind of came out of how properly, like how properly like bad the actual injury was. And yeah, the first time wearing a lot of Hakeem Elijah Won comments and stuff that, you know.
And Kareem comments and things like that.
But that was a real nervous moment in my whole career. And it's I kind of bring those out and being different, like I've always been different, but I think it's always been different for positive reasons. And then that was the first reason of I guess, like someone making fun of me in a different sense. But yeah, after the first like training, so essentially it's just normality after that, so people stop wearing them. And now Bobby Hill tries him on before every game, I feel like, and he's.
Like, oh the speed Dealers by that he's just sick, you know, and.
Just stuff like that, and like one of the cool things that's come from I never expected it, but like you know, it's nowadays probably on the weekly I would get a message or a comment from someone saying, you know, my kid never felt comfortable wearing you know, protective.
Gear wheneber he was playing.
And now because he has someone to look up to and idolize in a sense, that's doing it at the highest level, like now he feels comfortable to play on his kick and I don't know, one of these days, maybe you know, one of those kids turns into being an AFL footballer who knows and that story kind of links back into me, which wuld be pretty cool.
But yeah, I've had a lot.
Of amazing just kind of connections that have come from it, an amazing kind of comments around it. And yeah it was tough. I mean, the AFL essentially almost didn't allow me to do it, and they told me I couldn't wear him for a preseason, even though I'd warn them all preseason, all training during the presee and they're very well aware of it. They sent me essentially a letter saying that I'd have to sign it so I had to be able to play the next day versus hawthorn out and like I think Moe it was. They sent me a letter it said I had to sign it, saying that they don't want any legal liabilities if something happens because of them. I had to go and find a lawyer within twenty four hours to get them ticked off. And then they said you need to sharp you out any advertising that might be on the side of them, so this is like F five I think or something like that on the side of it, which is just the model of the glasses. It doesn't even say like Rexpex or anything like that. And they're like you have to sharp you out every single little thing. They just made it really pain in the ass to wear, and I was just like, this is a medical thing.
Which was so bizarre, because one, it's a tool of the trade. You need it to be able to play, like any boots. You're allowed to wear any brand of any boots, even if they clash with your team, sponsors or anything. And then they came out and celebrated it the whole weekend, taking photos of your videos, put it on social and it's Mason with these goggles all that stuff. It was bizarre.
AFL is a bizarre place. We'll say that.
On top of that, we were talking about so your eye injuries. It's were you still going back to your the key forward at times in one of the biggest clubs in the land. All the pressure, like all the good stuff that comes with that when you're winning the prelimp for it, and then you get all the bad stuff when you're underperforming. It's all tenfold, so the pressure comes on Bucks out Fly in real crazy period of time for the club.
I think at that time in my career, I was ready to call it quits. I was like, this is bullshit, Like I'm just so stressed out, I'm not enjoying life, Like this is not what I was made, you know, to do for the rest of my life. I was ready to call it quits and it was just done with it, and it was probably gonna go to a different team if there was an opportunity, But got to that off season without a contract, don't really knowing where I was going to go, what was going to happen, and kind of come to I guess groups with the fact that our career is done and like it as it is. It was fine. We move on, we try to find out who the next chapter is. And I remember before I left, being on the sprung floor doing some kicking and stuff and Craig came in. It was kind of like the day that he was kind of announced as head coach, and in my mind, I'd already I had already committed essentially in my mind, like and confirmed that I was dying, like I was going to play there again, like i'd really bad taste my mouth from everything that kind of happened in the years before, and wasn't really happy with where things were, and there's a lot of change, and I thought, you know, maybe it's just time for me to move on. And I just remember, like Craig walking in, I go, fuck you, dude, You're the only person, the only person in this whole world that would get me back to this club probably, And he walked in and he did his speech of what he wants to do as a coach and anything else, and I remember sitting there going, this fucking asshole, like I actually want to I want to play for you, man, and like what you've been able to give to me to be able to set up my career was like something I've always wanted to repay him. And I thought, fuck man, Like if there's ever an opportunity, it's it's now. So in my mind, I was kind of like, I hope hopefully they kind of give me a gig, and Craig was like, look, it's not my decision, it's the club decision where they want to keep you. And he was not part of me signing another contractor what they gave me, and offered me, and fortunate enough they did offer me something, and yeah, it's kind of cool.
Now.
I think it's one of the biggest reasons I still am playing and still want to players. Like I always talk about what I want to do and wanting to repay Fly for what he gave to me. So, like I think over the last few weeks, you've seen some of the stuff that's on the inside of people's jumpers on the neckline, so you've got like I think Brandon had like competitive beast, right, like Jack had entertainer or something like that, right, like mine says repay flight, And like that's kind of something I've always been in my mind everything every time I go about like play, that's I always think about him, what he's given up and the opportunities he's given me, and thought, how cool would have been now to like full circle this thing for like the universe kind of coming back on itself and be able to give him, you know, success and be part of that and help him kind of reach what he wants to wants to accomplish as a coach. So that's kind of one of the reasons I still do it. One of the main reasons I'm still playing.
But yeah, that year I was I was ready to call it quits.
And then Fly came in and that was kind of the only person probably in this world that could keep me at the club and had some serious conversations throughout that first year of getting dropped after playing a few terrible games at the beginning and then coming back and then like the game I came back, we won eleven straight and talk about sliding doors moments like you know, at that point we started this podcast whenever I started playing VFL I think it was, and I was like, you know, this is probably it, Like I'm not playing, well, it's not it's not working, like just gonna have to try to move into the next phase of life, which hopefully would be media. So let's start this podcast and see what we can do with it. And it's been awesome to be to be enjoying it and now obviously still playing. It's it's cool to still kind of everything essentially is extra now. But I remember we're coming back and sliding doors moments of Brodie gets injured does his potelton and I think it was or something like that, and I get an opportunity to come back or Beggy actually coming back. Aiden Beg comes back and plays before me, and I was pretty filthy. But look back at the traft Cloak thing, I was like, well, maybe this is my moment of trev klok, you know, like maybe this is me passing the torch on to someone else. And he played a really good game. And then yeah, a couple down down our games compared to that first one, and then got the opportunity to come back up and play with DC and we.
Want eleven straight.
And you know that kind of changed probably the opportunity because we talk about, you know, if we lose some of those games, you know, maybe we go into rebuilding mode and we go some of the older guys, we'll start playing the younger guys, and the older guys get pushed out and we start revamping. And everyone no one would have asked a question of that. Everyone would gone, well, call him as a young team, new coach. You know, he wants to revamp everything, like that's just part of the process. And I would have been one of those players that would just go moved on. And luckily enough the young guy stepped up and kept us old boys around a little bit longer. And we want eleven straight. So it's you talk about the sliding doors moments. There's a lot of those in the career, and that was definitely one that looking back, it is like if Roady doesn't get injured, and obviously, like good friend of mine, never would want that upon anyone. But if he doesn't get injured, he doesn't get moved on, his contract doesn't get taken up by another person, and I am no longer playing for Collingwood.
Yeah, it is a twist of fate that it just happens to be Fly that comes in. Now. You did the sixty minutes feature, big feature over in the States, and there was some great stuff in there about well, Fly being there from the start of your career, getting videos back from you overseas see that you can't really kick for shit. There was the statement that you saw Fly sitting on the Richmond bench in the twenty eighteen prelim and you said you did this, you did this, this is your fault, which is great, and it is just the fact that it was him that came in and like you said it literally, I feel like it could have only been one guy, and he had a great impact on everyone to date. You guys go on the fairy Tale run. A lot of people see Fly externally and say, jeez, it must be great to play for a lot of guys want to come into the club rejuvenated. You got all these young guys playing really great footy with a really healthy mix of like older mature your heads in there, and the club's in a great position. So like, it's been really good to have the podcast here to kind of write it every week. Last Every week last year was like, god, it dusted it by six. It's like can you can you get a big win? But it was just so fun and everyone talks about how fun it is and the amount of messages that we get through the podcast where it's like, I'm a Richmond supporter, we're having them down year. I never thought i'd say it, but I love watching Collingwood games, or like Essenon supporters or you know, all these big rivals that would always hate Collingwood. We're getting so many messages just alone saying how much they're enjoying watching Collingwood play. You play in particular, like it's a crazy thing that you guys are doing and it must be fun. Again. You talked about the last few years that you went through injuries, ups and down. It must be fun to play this footy again. And it's been reflected outside of Spleen injury, You've played a really good, solid year of footy.
Yeah, it's it's it's good.
I think I've talked about people as of recent because a lot of people have been talking about how good the culture is in credit to Craig and the coaching staff and everyone else that's created it, and it's totally changed the place. And whenever you go through the tough times, the dark times, the challenging times, and then you have experiences like now or it's you know, exciting, everyone's enjoying it. Like when you're in a happy place, like you kind of you want to soak it in and like really enjoy it as much as you can. And it's it's one of those things like whenever you the older you get, the more you have these experiences of the highs and the lows and everything else. And whenever you have an opportunity as to be able to recognize a high, you really enjoy it that much more. And I think that's what a lot of us are doing at the moment, especially the older guys. I'll talk about like after games like I never we'd always just go down. You know, you win the game, you lose game, can earn the race, sing the song, or you don't. Whoever it is, move on. And now it's like you kind of like after every single game I'll finish. I'm just kind of like three sixty the MCG and I'm just kind to think, like how crazy is this man? Like a crazy as life, And it's like soak in as much as you can because you know that this is a fleeting time career could be done in a game. With my eye injuries and stuff, I realize like every game could be my last, and you just want to make sure that if it is your last game, you got to enjoy it for the forest amount. And like looking around seeing people chant USA as you're going through the cheer squad and then down into the rooms and stuff, and everyone had a smile on their faces, like you just you really kind of enjoy those moments now, I think more than I ever probably have before. And yeah, it's a it's a really good time and everyone's really enjoying. I think what's happening at the Corn Football Club at the moment.
And whatever happens from this point to your last game, you've left the mark. Now there's there's no it's undeniable. You've left the mark. You've had massive games along the journey. You're always going to be that the first American. You talk about not being the first like native porn in America to play, but you're definitely going to be the first. It hits one hundred games and you might hold that record for hell of a long time. So there's plenty that you've done throughout your career and from the impacts that you had on people all across Australia. It's just yeah, it's a massive achievement and a massive accomplishment for what you've done. And yeah, it's it's it's a real credit to you. One hundred games, There's going to be more. That's the next question. What's next for Mason Cox?
Hopefully Premiership? It round it off pretty well.
I think you talk about windows and opportunities and I think we're definitely in that window at the moment, as a lot of people would probably agree. And yeah, it's it's exciting because yeah, as a certain point, probably the beginning of last year, you didn't you thought, you know, you come to realization and grips you probably won't ever won a Grand Final and that twenty eight team probably sticks out and your head a lot, a lot stronger than other days, and now you can't look at it. You're going, well maybe you maybe we're in that kind of you know, those few years wherever it is we can actually you know, win this whole thing. So yeah, it's it's it's it's hopefully what's next. I don't know if it'll be you know, this year, next year and not happen, whatever it is, but I think having that would be something to add to the journey, to say it's it's dying. You've experienced everything. You can't look back and fault anything you've you've been through it all the ringer, the ups, the downs, and you've made the most of it and you've got to experience everything you could possibly do over here in Australia. So that'd be a great ride round it off. Whether or not it happens, we'll see, but it's something that is probably what's next, and then post career, hopefully media hopefully's podcast launches and we can do some cool stuff around it. Shout out to people like Dylan Buckley, are I guess like paid in the path for ex athletes and doing these kind of things, and you know, hopefully this leads to media opportunities post career and stay around football and then maybe bring the exposure of IFL to international market. Who knows, but there's there's definitely hopefully opportunities there and hopefully I get to to stay here in Australia long term and do some stuff and continue to push the boundaries in the future.
And I think we have the name for the episode Mason Cox's a career of sliding doors. But yeah, one more time, congratulations mate, and big juicy contest coming up on the weekend against North Melbourne if they don't stop you at the gate with their pitchforks after all the shit that you talk about them. But are you looking forward to it? I am.
It's gonna be a good day, I think, Like I said, not only is it my hundredth, but more important only it steals three hundredth and to celebrate him what he's been able to accomplish is pretty cool. He's done a lot more than I probably have very different journeys, don't get me wrong, but it'd be a great day to be able to celebrate him myself and just be able to really soak it in. Like I don't know, I don't know what's going to happen on the day, whole families coming out. I don't know what to expect, but I know there'd be some pretty cool experiences looking back and getting to reminisce with some people on the journey and bringing them into the rooms and get to experience a whole thing. And some of the videos people probably sent through dumb shit I've done throughout my career, funny experiences and things. It's it's all as cool moments in life. You get to really kind of look back on what you've been able to accomplish. And that's kind of one of the things I'm going to look forward to the most, I think, And.
I think that wraps us all up.
To wrap it up, massive game coming out the hund Earth. So thankful for everyone that's you know, been a part of it, including yourself, Bradon. It's been amazing to share experiences throughout this whole process and even the early days to talk about back then and how things have changed so much. But a massive thank you to everyone who's one tuned into this podcast and supported us in the community that's here, and too to everyone that's supported me personally throughout my career and everything that's happened. It's it's amazing to have amazing supporters like everyone out there, and you know, through ups and downs, always having my back and the club's back. It's pretty incredible to be able to share this experience with so many different people, and I'm extremely grateful and humbled to have so many supporters out there. So massive thank you. Hopefully you get to enjoy the day just as I will, and yeah, go past.
Can it stand extended? Sand
