Tony Greenberg: What has the week at Richmond been like?
John Heslin: It’s been great. I’ve been introduced to everybody and they’ve all been very welcoming and friendly - from the coaching staff and players through to the girls at the reception desk. The new facilities, as well, obviously make a big impact. They were open on the Monday and Monday was my first day here. So, it was a busy week all right . . .
TG: How did the approach from Richmond come about?
JH: They saw me playing in the Sigerson Cup back in Ireland, which is a competition for universities, on the Friday and Saturday. I got a phone call Sunday going into work, Francis (Jackson) and Matt (Clarke) came to the house on the Monday evening, flights were booked Wednesday, and I was out here by the weekend.
TG: How much interest do the Irish have in Australian Football?
JH: The guys that have done well, like Jim Stynes, Tadhg (Kennelly), and Marty Clarke, have got a lot of publicity. And, then, in recent years, Tommy Walsh at St Kilda, Jamie O’Reilly, who’s here, Michael Quinn at Essendon, and Setanta O’hAilpin at Carlton, have attracted a lot of publicity in Ireland, too. Australian Football is a good sport . . . a mixture of Gaelic football and Rugby. And, I like the fact there’s a bit of contact in the game.
TG: What sporting attributes do you have that will help you adapt to playing Australian Football?
JH: Francis and Matt would be able to tell you about that . . . I don’t like talking about myself. You know, you’d like to you’re fit and fast, playing Gaelic football back in Ireland at a high standard, and that you can catch and kick a ball. We all like to say that we’re playing at a good standard, and we have the attributes most athletes in Ireland have. But it’s a different type of fitness for the AFL and, obviously, a different ball game. But I’ve been sitting in the meetings and there’s a lot of similar stuff - putting pressure on the man, and simple stuff like that, which comes into every game you play with a ball. It’s just going to take time to adapt.
TG: So, what will be the main area of focus for you in your Australian Football education?
JH: Working on the kicking . . . It’s going to take time with the kicking. But you have the guys here (coaches) who’ll be patient. And patience, with calm people around, is what you need . . . it’s really important.
TG: What’s next on the agenda for you back in Ireland?
JH: Unfortunately, I have to do exams (he’s finishing university) . . . they’re important. And, there are some big football games coming up in Ireland, with the under-21s and, hopefully, the senior championships as well. I’m really looking forward to them.
TG: When will you return to Richmond?
JH: I’ll come back here at the end of the season for a bit of training and then again for pre-season. People may laugh, but I’m really looking forward to pre-season training because I’ve never had a pre-season. It’s going to be really tough, and I’m probably going to fade quicker than the other guys. But I’m really looking forward to coming out and getting to that level of fitness.
TG: What appeals to you most about coming to Richmond?
JH: The players are young and that’s very important. We’re all going to come through together and we’ve all got the same ideas, the same interests. When you’re talking, or fooling around a bit, it’s all the same - there’s no, like, ‘cut it out you guys, you’re only young and nobodies’ . . . everybody’s having fun, they’re enjoying themselves. We have the chance to develop a great bond between us and create something special together here. That’s important.
