Richmond Media: Josh, how are you travelling?

Yeah, going good. Just starting to run this year, which is exciting and slowly building up more and more every week, which is good.

RM: What are your thoughts on Samoa and just getting the opportunity to come here in general?

Oh, it is unbelievable. Like, the island, the people, they are really nice and the island is so gorgeous and like beautiful.

It has been good to be here around Mykelti and seeing his family and all that. It is good to see the culture and experiencing (something) different to Australia.

RM: What did the locals have you doing this morning?

Bit of cooking and preparing Umu. The locals do this every Sunday. It is bit of coconut, papaya, fish and all sort of mixed in together.

They use every bit of the coconut, which is pretty cool to see.

I got to shave some coconut off the actual rock, and it was good just to learn about what they do and how they cook their food.

It is definitely a lot different to what we are used to back in Australia. The different tools they use and their methods of cooking.

Yeah it has just been cool to see what they do.

RM: You are pretty athletic yourself, but seeing them climb up the coconut trees. Do you think you could do that? It is a pretty special trait?

It was impressive how he was getting up there. I don't think I would be able to do that. No chance.

It is just a different level. Like you have to have those feet muscles and hand muscles, and I do not think I have that.

RM: On your footy, how do you reflect on the period of time since Round 1 last year (knee injury- against Carlton)?

It has been a bit of a tough year and slow. But it has just been about dedication to get back and knowing that I will be right at some point.

Ben Serpell our new High Performance Manager has been really good with us ACL boys and helping us out. (Particularly with the way he) explains our day to day and sets out the workload and how it will set us up for the next couple of months.

RM: Ben has spoken to us about wanting you to get back and stay back, is that the message to you too?

Yep, exactly that. I have been injured for a couple of years now and just getting fit and strong again is my focus. So yeah, good to be running and getting stronger.

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RM: You went back over to Qatar again this off season?

I did. Went back over there and saw Dr Enda King. It is just another opinion and also (a chance for me to) take in everything that I can learn over there to bring back to Richmond. As well as just growing myself and (helping me) to have an even better understanding of the injury and how to go forward.

I have been doing a lot of rehab over the past couple of months. There has been a lot of hard work and a lot of dedication to strength and conditioning just to get back and running.

RM: How is the energy at the Club and is this new looking team one you can see yourself flourishing in?

Yeah, I mean we are a very young sort of side this year. So, a lot of new kids coming in.

Taj (Hotton) who is here (in Samoa) as well. He is one that you just see lighting up everyone. He is always happy and is around everything and very hard working.

Having a fresh face like that it gives everyone a spring and a positive outlook on everything we are doing and playing our game.

RM: What coaches are you working most closely with?

Well firstly, Steve Morris and Ben Rutten too. I am working close to those two. Really a lot about my skills and positioning.

I have been able to learn the system a lot better and while I am not able to play, I have gone about that by coaching with the VFL and AFLW (backs) as well.

Just while I can’t play, coaching it with them and learning some system better while I'm not actually able to (be on the field). 

RM: How did you find helping out with the AFLW last season?

Yeah, it was good. A very different environment to the AFL. There are some characters, and they all just love it. Love being there.

They are very hardworking, and they got pretty far this year. They lost in the finals which was unfortunate, but they will be back better and stronger this year.

RM: One of the key position players we picked up in the National Draft, Jonty Faull, like yourself was recruited out of Ballarat. Have you had much to do with him?

I actually did a little bit with the recruiters last year, went to a few games (with Blair Hartley and Rhy Gieschen) and saw him. He is very, very athletic and loves it on the lead.

He will be a good key position player for us moving forward, I think he will grow into being a standpoint in our forward line.

He is a very hard worker, and I think the more he gets around the group, he will really come out of his shell. He is a great bloke and player.

RM: Once we return to the Club from this freshen up in Samoa. What is the next step for you?

Yeah well, I guess we are still doing some strength stuff over here while we are here. You can't go too many days without doing some rehab. So yeah, we will be in some gym facilities here. But I think after we get back, it is more or less just keep doing rehab, keep getting a lot out of it and moving forward.