Foxtel’s new AFL-based reality show, ‘The Recruit’, is an interesting concept and one that I’m surprised hasn’t been done earlier to be honest.

A few of the boys have caught the first couple of episodes, and no doubt they’ll be keeping an eye on its progress over the next few months.

Reality TV has always been pretty popular among the Lions players.

Whether it’s cooking shows like Masterchef or My Kitchen Rules, or singing competitions such as X-Factor or The Voice, you can almost guarantee that there will be some discussion surrounding these sorts of shows at the Club.

We even used to run a bit of a Survivor sweep among players and staff, which would only add to the banter in the locker room. 

So it’s a no-brainer that a show has been produced that combines reality TV with football.

There’s been a fair bit of interest in it around the Club, especially considering a number of players who are part of The Recruit either played with, or against, some of Lions boys at one stage or another.

Plus, our former coach and Lions Legend Michael Voss is one of the key people on the show.

It will be interesting to see how it all turns out.

The eventual winner apparently gets a guaranteed AFL contract, so that person could be part of the opposition, or even one of our teammates, next year.

The prize is a pretty big carrot to dangle in front of blokes who might have thought that their AFL dream was over.

It’s an unusual way to get into the AFL system, but you can’t blame them for making the most of the opportunity.

I probably would’ve put my hand up if the option had been available to me when I was at Norwood just before I joined the Lions.

But hard as the show might try, I don’t think there’s any way they can really prepare the guys for what it’s going to be like for them at the elite level.

Even the fittest guys who’ve been playing in local leagues for years haven’t experienced anything until they’ve done an AFL pre-season.

After spending a couple of years on Port Adelaide’s rookie list, and then in the SANFL, I thought I was physically ready when the time came to hit my first pre-season with the Lions.

I was wrong. They’re just so demanding.

Even now, after nine AFL seasons, I still dread what awaits in November after returning from holidays.