Isaac Quaynor on fragrance, modelling, and finding balance after ‘going backwards’ in 2024
For the first time in his career, Isaac Quaynor felt like he had ‘gone backwards’. He tells JON RALPH how he’s learned balance can be a key part of his ascent.
Collingwood
Don't miss out on the headlines from Collingwood. Followed categories will be added to My News.
At the end of a season that included a failed title defence and a debilitating toe injury robbing him of his explosive power, Isaac Quaynor came to a grim realisation.
For the first time in his six-year football career, he had gone backwards.
A season that began with lofty predictions he would be an All Australian defender ended with his stocks diminished and his team twiddling their thumbs in September.
Instead of wallowing in pity the 25-year-old playmaking defender and his premiership coach Craig McRae got to work on solutions.
As Quaynor told the Herald Sun on Sunday, the remedy is concentrating less on football instead of more.
Or as he puts it: “I kind of feel like I got into a position where I am through hard work and being obsessed with the game of football. When I reflect back on my first years at the club, I used to go in on days off.
“I didn’t really have any balance. That was normal when I was 18, 19 and 20. I wasn’t studying at that point so picking up some study and finding hobbies has been great for me.
“I had a really good chat with ‘Fly’ towards the end of the season and reflecting on the year to date I obviously wasn’t pleased with the way I was performing and us as a team and we spoke about that word balance. My mindset had always been that when I am not playing my best footy that it’s more, more, more. Come in and do more touch, more gym.
“Sometimes it’s about switching off. Doing my stuff with my fragrance, doing a modelling shoot.
“Not even thinking about football for three or four hours. It’s something across this pre-season that I have put time into. And I feel like when I am at the club I am full of energy, training with real intent, and getting the best out of myself.”
Quaynor’s pre-season toil and attempts to find that yin and yang in his life is featured in Collingwood’s new pre-season documentary The Grind.
Released on Sunday night and in coming days through club channels, it gives an insight into Quaynor’s life as he speaks of his pride at his Ghanaian heritage as father Yaw cooks a feast of authentic dishes including Jollof rice for his family and friends.
It also shows the summer toil as Collingwood players who have finished a three-sided pre-season game against Gold Coast and Brisbane are put through an impromptu sprint session outside the stadium post-match.
Footy’s old-fashioned beep test is back as Quaynor holds off all comers with a 22.5 effort in a summer where he has set a number of personal bests after last year’s turf toe injury.
He has also dropped 1.5-2kg in a bid to retain his running power while keeping his one-on-one strength.
“The turf toe didn’t help but it’s not really an excuse. If you are out there playing you have got to play to your strengths and I wasn’t able to do that,” he says.
“I hurt it on Anzac Day in a contest and I was in constant pain, really. It’s a jarred toe, but it doesn’t go away. You keep training and playing and it doesn’t heal properly.
“It’s still not 100 per cent and it’s been almost a year but I feel like I can push off and be powerful. I had no power on my left side to push off and that’s my bread and butter.
“It’s the first time in my sporting journey and I am 25 now, where I have gone backwards. That was pretty tough to wrap my head around. So now it’s time to build back up. I haven’t put those expectations and pressure on. I can go out and play.
“I have stripped it back to trying to have more fun playing. We are all winners and want to win but I was putting a lot of pressure on myself but I don’t want to do that this year, when I play my best football I am instinctual and playing free and backing my reads and having fun.”
Quaynor has been one of the February faces of a new Chemist Warehouse commercial for INC Nutrition, all part of a bigger plan to release his own fragrance within the next 12 months.
“It’s a real passion project of mine. I have been obsessed with fragrance since I could remember,” he says.
“I have really grown that obsession. I have a big collection (of fragrances) and through that process I have been able to meet people and have some really interesting conversations about building my own fragrance. It’s been a massive dream of mine and I am well and truly into the process.”
The fragrance has a name – Nasuro – which translates to “star” in Ghanaian and was one of a number of options chosen with the help of father Yaw.
“The Ghanaian soccer team is the Black Stars so it’s another cool little connection. I love the name and how it sounds premium,” he says.
The modelling is “another piece of the puzzle” and taps into his growing interest in fashion.
“I guess it’s something I never really aspired to do and it almost had a bit of a negative mindset for a long time.”
He knows not long ago in an era where it was publicly acceptable for footballers to own pubs, play golf and develop property, his interests might have been ridiculed by rivals and AFL diehards.
“It’s a massive credit to the club and ‘Fly’ and the team that we are completely given a licence to be yourself. No judgement. I can’t speak for other clubs but I feel in past years we speak poorly of people in the football environment doing things outside football. The tall poppy syndrome and we are so wary of that. It’s really powerful that people want to support each other here and want to get around each other.”
PIES STAR QUAYNOR’S ‘SECURITY GUARD’, BACKLINE BREAKOUT CONTENDER
Collingwood premiership defender Isaac Quaynor says Brayden Maynard’s teammates were ecstatic about his statement of intent that his future at the club, describing him as the backline’s “security guard”.
Maynard will receive significant offers to leave the Pies with North Melbourne one of several interested parties.
But he said recently his future was at Collingwood after discussions with his family and those close to him.
Quaynor is part of a new-look Collingwood back six that will include Dan Houston and Reef McInnes, with John Noble having moved to Collingwood.
He said Maynard’s public statement meant a lot to his teammates.
“It’s huge. Bruzzy is the heart and soul of the group. Everyone sees the way he plays, he does it with his heart on his sleeve. Every staff member and player wants him to stay. He’s Collingwood. He is black and white, so I absolutely love playing with him. It’s like playing with a security guard next to you, a big bully. Of course everyone hopes and wants big ‘Bruz’ to stay.
“I think (his public statement) says something, doesn’t it. To come out in public and stand on it is awesome. It gives you a lot of confidence that he will stick around.”
Houston has fitted in seamlessly but Quaynor says anyone team thinking they can expose the dual All-Australian intercept marker defensively will be disappointed.
“He has the perfect blend of attack and defence and his kick is honestly world class,” Quaynor said.
“I am a defence-first type of person and I have so much admiration for someone who can be so offensively damaging but it doesn’t hinder their defence. He has the ability to defend and then when his time is right he can attack and be damaging.”
The 194cm McInnes has been thrown into defence after 20 games and 19 goals across three seasons at the other end and looked strong against an admittedly young Richmond side on Wednesday.
“I am a massive Reef McInnes fan, I loaded up on his stocks early,” said Quaynor.
“I played at Oakleigh with him and he was a defender back his Under-18 days for a period of time. He was really dominant so the move to defence didn’t surprise me. He’s had a really great pre – season and he has a ferociousness and the roles we are giving him he doesn’t need to do anything extraordinary.
“He can do it in the air and on the ground and he will have some pretty big match-ups throughout the year. It’s exciting for him to come out and hopefully be part of the mix in round zero.”
Originally published as Isaac Quaynor on fragrance, modelling, and finding balance after ‘going backwards’ in 2024
Houston over Rowell? Why Pies were split on blockbuster trade
Collingwood coach Craig McRae was always keen to secure Dan Houston from Port Adelaide – but there was robust debate about what is was really costing the club. Here’s why.
Buckley: Why Pies will beat Blues ‘battlers’ to finals berth
The finals race is set to be more competitive than ever this year. Collingwood great NATHAN BUCKLEY explains why Carlton and Port Adelaide will miss out and reveals his top-eight prediction.