Russell Packer studying an MBA to prepare for life after football
WHAT is becoming apparent for anyone willing to invest their time in the story of Packer, is that his transformation includes being something more than the stereotypical footballer.
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ON Tuesday night at six o’clock, Russell Packer shuffles his seat forward and peels open his textbook.
Every Tuesday evening, be it after a tough win on a Sunday afternoon at Leichhardt, or before a Wests Tigers must-win on a Thursday, Packer will do this for the next two-and-half years.
Beside him, sits a 40-something banking executive. Just in front, one of Sydney’s leading accountants.
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Packer, 28, is the youngest class member studying an executive MBA inside the Australian Graduate School of Management, on the University of NSW campus in Sydney.
Inside the lecture room of 35 men and women, the Wests Tigers prop stands out like a sore thumb.
Not because of his troubled past, more so because of his casual attire, shaved-head and tattooed arms.
“Most of them wear suits,’’ Packer grins. “I guess I wouldn’t be a stereotypical MBA student.
“The average age would be 36. It’s an executive MBA. It’s for working people, who want to upskill and climb the corporate ladder. A lot of them do work at banks.
“Part of business is first impressions and how you look, I understand that, but at the same time, it’s the old saying ‘don’t judge a book by its cover.’”
SOMETHING MORE
What is becoming apparent, for anyone willing to invest their time in the story of Packer, is that his transformation as a person, having committed a shockingly violent assault in 2013, also includes being something more than the stereotypical footballer.
The criticism of Broncos recruit Matt Lodge — and so too the Broncos — is a refusal to publicly acknowledge anything other than the prop forward’s ability to carry a football despite the damage caused by his New York rampage two years ago.
The same can’t be said about Packer, who is openly seeking a new path, one that is rarely walked by a footballer.
For example, just two weeks ago Tigers CEO Justin Pascoe felt it was important he update the playing group on the club’s improved financial status.
As if he’d just performed collective hypnosis over the entire room, Pascoe only needed to mentions the words ‘revenue, year-on-year and growth’ for eyes to begin to roll.
Except for Packer, who is committed to living up to the promise he first made to himself and his family, the day he was released after 12 months behind bars.
“Studying and playing football is a juggling act, but it’s for a purpose,’’ Packer said.
“That is, having a great foundation to provide for my family when I finish playing rugby league. That’s the way that I look at it.
“I probably wouldn’t be doing this had I not gone through my experiences where I was out of the game for two years.
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, My two kids and my partner are my driving force. They’re kids who lost their dad for a year because of a choice that I made.
“As football players, playing the game is our main priority, I know that’s my main job and how I provide for my family, but I also know uni is an outlet for me and data analytics is an interesting subject.’’
NUMBERS MAN
Like the NRL’s very-own Good Will Hunting, Packer’s hardened exterior renders his fascination for numbers and financial formulas.
Like the day Pascoe started rattling off bottom lines and forecasts, there’s a genuine rise in excitement in Packer’s voice when you ask how he uses rugby league to navigate through class every Tuesday night.
“I do use football a lot, in terms of thinking how does data analytics work in rugby league,’’ Packer said.
“Statistics is one. How many people tap on the Wests Tigers iPhone App would be another, so it’s easily applied.
“The lecturers ask us, how does it work in your organisation? And I am part of an organisation, it’s just a rugby league sporting organisation.
“It’s a unique situation that I’m playing football and I’m trying to do an MBA at the same time. My job as a footballer is heavily focused on our physical action, yet in business it’s about making sound decisions with your mind.
“When I learn theory or concepts at uni, unlike most of the people I go to uni with, I haven’t had a real job like them, but the thing we need to think about more is, rugby league is a real job.
“When you look at the fact we get to deal with so many areas of the sport and we’re open to so much information from ticketing, to how the games are run, the CBA, negotiating contracts, marketing, doing commercials or talking on TV ... A lot of people have asked me if I want to be a sports administrator one day. I really don’t know what I want to do.
“Right now, I want to keep acquiring knowledge so that it helps my transition out of rugby league.
“I don’t want to get to the end and think ‘what now?’ I’ve seen what nothing looks like.
“The MBA won’t be easy, but it will be a decision my family can be proud of.’’