Essendon star Jake Stringer opens up to Mark Robinson ahead of his 200th game

At 20, Jake Stringer was one of the most exciting young stars in the game. Then his football world fell apart – and then, as Stringer admits, so did his life. He opens up to MARK ROBINSON on what made him almost walk away.

Jake Stringer plays his 200th game on Saturday night in Dreamtime at the G, but his career and life have been dotted with complications.

He talks to Mark Robinson about his discovery of Islam, Luke Beveridge and Brad Scott, and his “gang” at the Bombers.

Mark Robinson: Everyone says a footy career goes quickly. Has yours?

Jake Stringer: I don’t think it’s gone quick, but a lot has happened in 12 years. I still enjoy it and enjoy trying to get better. I enjoy the environment, whereas when I was a fresh 18-19-20-year-old, you’re still trying to work out what it’s all about. But for me I’ve got a good handle on it.

MR: Did it take too long to “get a handle on it”?

JS: Absolutely it did.

MR: Some players come into the AFL and knuckle down straight away and become a professional footballers. Others take two years, others take five years ….

JS: What I enjoy about footy now is you play with 44 players every year and seven of them change over. You’re constantly meeting new people from all different walks of life. Like, I enjoy Sam Durham, who’s a country boy, and then you’ve got Andy McGrath, who is a private school boy, and they were living together. Two complete opposites. I enjoy that aspect of meeting different people. Early days, you probably stick to your little crew and that was it.

Jake Stringer celebrates in front of the Essendon faithful. Picture: Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos

MR: Was “The Package’’ period a difficult one, or an exciting time in your life?

JS: I don’t really look back.

MR: Really Jake, you never reflect?

JS: Not really. I try not to. What has happened has happened, I can’t change the past.

MR: Is that a strategy to avoid talking about the past?

JS: No. It just shows that I’m at a point where I’m happy with my life, with what I’m doing, where I’m going and the people around me.

MR: Have you always been happy?

JS: Happy is an interesting word. Was I happy my whole life? I’d say yes, I have been. But everyone goes through ups and downs. We are adults and we all have emotions. I had difficult periods and, absolutely, I’ve had great challenges. But I find now I’m able to deal with those challenges. I‘ve spoken about the hub year. It was extremely tough. We play on the Saturday here in Melbourne, I smash my ankle, have surgery on the Monday, the boys fly out Tuesday, I can’t go until Friday. I’ve got an eight-month-old baby who comes to the hub, but I leave a four-year-old and six-year-old and I’m balling my eyes out saying goodbye to them because you’re not going to see them for 10 weeks. How do you comprehend that you’re not going to see your children for 10 weeks? You’re up there with a newborn, isolated in a room, the ankle’s busted up. And then I rush back to play. I wasn’t ready to play and you get slammed for playing when you’re just trying to do the best thing for the team. Then you have to deal with ‘he’s unfit’ and that carries on for the next year and a half.

MR: You were unfairly criticised?

JS: People can criticise, I’m just saying all I was trying to do was get back and help the team. Was it at the detriment of myself? Absolutely it was, but I’ve got no one to blame, I put myself in that situation. You have to take responsibility for your own decisions. But I do think the criticism was unfair the next year, like ‘he’s unfit’, ‘he’s this, he’s that’. But was I? Sometimes you feel like you’re always trying to defend yourself.

MR: That must get tiresome.

JS: It does, but now I couldn’t give a shit. They can say I’m fit, whatever, it’s a contract year and they say I always play good in a contract year. Whatever. Do I? Maybe I’ve had an injury-free run for two years and now my contract has come up.

Stringer during his first pre-season at the Bulldogs.

Stringer made his mark in the AFL at a young age. Picture: Michael Klein

MR: Back to those “Package” years. You were 20 years of age then and one of the most exciting players in the game. Was it a burden to deal with, being so young?

JS: It was 10 years ago, a lot has happened.

MR: Yes, but you had issues to deal with then. Gambling was one. Mental health was another. Other personal issues. There was a fear you were a lightning bolt for three years and then your football would fall apart. Did you feel your life was falling apart?

JS: Absolutely. You’ve got to remember I was booted from the Dogs the same year.

MR: How were you able to play footy with your life in turmoil?

JS: When you’ve got great support, you’ve got great support. I’m very lucky I have a very good family. I lived with my parents for a year during that time. They moved down from Bendigo. I wouldn’t have gotten through it without them. I would’ve walked away.

MR: And did what?

JS: Not played footy.

MR: You saw someone professionally about your gambling. Is that still an ongoing challenge?

JS: It’s something I struggle with to this day. It’s still a constant grind. People just think you just get over it. It’s something you have to keep working at, otherwise the big bad wolf will creep up on you.

MR: You’re a country boy with a complicated life.

JS: I’m not complicated.

MR: But your life found complications. Fair comment?

JS: Yep, it’s a fair comment. But I wouldn’t change it. It’s life. Everyone has complications. You can sit here and be like ‘this has happened, that has happened’, but I’m an ambassador for Challenge. I go see the kids once a fortnight. I walk through the ward at Royal Children’s and see children (aged) two, four, seven and nine that are fighting life or death, and they’re the same age as my four children … you get a good perspective on life very quickly. I was doing that (hospital visits) when I first came to Essendon. I’ve never told anyone, I’ve never done it for people to know, it’s for me to give back to them. Those kids don’t even know it, but they give me so much more.

Challenge ambassador Stringer with Challenge kids Bella, Nate, Katie and Rosie. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

And with his kids, celebrating game 100, in 2018. Picture: Michael Dodge/Getty Images

MR: You’re 30 and have four kids. Two with a former partner and two with your current partner. How does a professional footballer manage it all?

JS: That comes back to having good support. But it’s all going well. You’re always having your complications with everything, but at the end of the day, they’re your kids and you do everything to make sure they are happy, healthy and safe. For me, that’s the No.1.

MR: You signed a four-year deal and then a three-year deal at Essendon? Have you got your mind set on what the next contract looks like?

JS: I don’t know, I’ve not spoken to the club.

MR: How many years do you want to have left of your career?

JS: There’s been a lot of hard work at the club over the past few years, so why wouldn’t you not want to be part of what’s to come. I came to his club a year after the saga, so of course you want to see the highs this club can get to. You can feel where the club is going, and that’s exciting.

MR: You have had five coaches throughout your career. Can you talk about your relationship with them? Brendan McCartney?

JS: He gave me my chance. When I was coming off a broken leg (U18 competition), he’s the one person who took a punt on me at the start of my journey.

MR: Luke Beveridge?

JS: Obviously won a premiership, so I will be forever grateful for that experience. It didn’t end the way I would’ve liked it to, but it’s the industry.

MR: Anything personal against Beveridge?

JS: No, that’s life.

MR: Are you a grudge-holder?

JS: No.

MR: Do you see him? And would you say hello if you did?

JS: Aah … I don’t know.

Stringer with Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge in 2017. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

MR: John Worsfold.

JS: He gave me an opportunity when all my chips were down.

MR: Ben Rutten.

JS: He changed the way I played. He gave me the belief that I could go into the midfield when the 6-6-6 rule was introduced.

MR: Brad Scott?

JS: He’s done everything for me. He’s been massive for the club and for me. He’s really given me (the) enjoyment back. He’s put people around me to help me. He’s done the best job to help me become the best footballer I can be. And I’m becoming more of a consistent player than a flashier player.

MR: Are you at the peak of your powers?

JS: No, not yet. I think I’ve got three or four really good years left in me. I think I’m becoming a more rounded player, I’m starting to find a groove with this young team. It doesn’t feel like I’ve hit my ceiling yet.

MR: You just need to get this contract sorted.

JS: I don’t know where that’s at. But yeah, I want to stay.

MR: Would you understand if the club only offered a one-year deal?

JS: We’ll have to wait and see. That’s not my job, that’s my manager’s job to do the best thing for me. I’ve got to pay him for something.

Stringer says he has a lot more to give. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos