He’s dressed in jeans and a t-shirt rather than training gear, because Wednesday’s are regularly scheduled as the players’ day off, but Goodes has plenty to do.
Level Three at the Swans offices is not normally a level frequented by football staff or players, but Goodes is quite often the exception.
In this case, he’s heading to the quarterly Reconciliation Action Plan meeting alongside former team mate Michael O’Loughlin, Sydney Swans Board member Lynn Ralph, AFL NSW/ACT Indigenous Programs Manager Katriina Heikkanen and Swans staff members with Indigenous recruitment, Corroboree Sydney, and the GO Foundation all on the agenda.
Scheduling RAP meetings during the season has not been an easy task, but with the Swans’ week off, Goodes happily utilises his day off to contribute.
“People see me as a professional athlete, but I have a brand outside of football,” Goodes says.
“I like to do things that make me a better person and hopefully make the community a bit better as well.
“With the RAP, being a part of the Board that sits for that, and understanding what our Reconciliation Action Plan is here at the Swans, lets me be involved in that decision making process, which is something that means a lot to me.”
Now it’s 10:30am and Goodes heads to the club’s medical room for treatment. While there are a number of other players receiving massages, Goodes is undergoing dry-needling work from trusted senior trainer James Green, who regularly treats the Swans champ.
Goodes is lying on his stomach, with a towel covering his back, and is playing ‘Words with Friends’ on his phone. Each time a needle is inserted, he pauses from his game and winces in pain.
Even after 16 seasons, 349 games, including 24 finals, preparation, discipline and improvement are still mantras Goodes swears by, and after playing 18 straight games this season, his recovery regime is as strict as ever.
“I know what works and I know what I have to do for my strength work on my knee, my recovery for my whole body, and the down time to relax my mind,” Goodes says.
“I stick to what I know, and the things I do each week are the things that sort of keep me grounded and keep me relaxed, but they’re also things that really motivate me to keep on improving.”
Just over half-an-hour passes and it’s into the ice bath for Goodes who, after the initial shock, accustoms quickly to the chill. A group of younger Swans settle into the water, albeit not as quickly as the Swans veteran.
“I think the biggest thing with all the things you choose to do to improve your recovery or to strengthen your muscles is that you can see the improvement and the benefit out of it,” Goodes says about his sometimes uncomfortable recovery program.
“You know that there is that benefit out of it and that makes it that little bit (easier) jumping into the ice bath or being a pin cushion for ‘Greeny’ sticking the needles in.
“They are things that actually make me get better, so I can definitely see the improvement that they give me.”
When Goodes completes his next training session, he moves with ease and fluidity and is always the first player to every drill.
After spending more than 16 years at this club, and completing thousands of sessions, Goodes reflects on the factors that have allowed him to come so far.
“A massive part of me getting this far is obviously a bit of luck,” he says.
“There have been a lot of instances during games where there have been collisions, hits and small injuries that I’ve been able to play through.
“I think that over time that has helped me be mentally stronger to play through a lot of things, and there is no doubt that my recovery, discipline and hard work around my recovery and getting the best out of my body and what I put into it, has definitely helped me get to where I am today.”
By 4:30pm, when things are starting to wind down, Goodes settles down in the Club Lounge with a huge pile of white guernseys in front of him.
With a black marker in hand, he signs his name 370 times before being offered a stack of photos, which he signs with a silver marker.
Every few signatures, Goodes shakes the marker, and then returns pen to paper.
“Doing things like signing, that’s to raise money for the Brownlow Alumni, which is something being a past winner I’m a part of,” Goodes says.
“To help raise money for that, so they can do what they want to do, is really nice.”
With his 350th milestone game coming up in Friday night’s preliminary final against North Melbourne, Goodes also takes time out with Channel 7 sports reporter Jim Wilson for a sit-down interview, and also poses for a photo with the Daily Telegraph.
Goodes’ milestone has been mentioned around the club this week, by team mates and coaches, but there has been very little from the man himself.
“Big milestones for me have obviously been when I played my 300th game,” Goodes says. “That was in a final actually against Hawthorn, which we lost in Melbourne.
“Then I played my 304th to beat Mick (O’Loughlin’s) record, which was another big milestone for me, which was also against Hawthorn down in Tasmania.
“So, 350 to be honest is just another number.
“It is another big final for us, but I just see (the milestone) as just another step closer to another premiership.”
Just ahead of his last meeting for the day, which he’s already running late for, Goodes mentions how fantastic it is to be playing finals again this season.
“We know what to do and our game stands up in the real heat of battle,” Goodes says.
“It’s going to be a great challenge for us, but if we can, we need to just see it as another game.
“But (my advice would be) to enjoy it – it’s going to be huge – but you just need to see it as another game with a lot more, and better rewards.”
Adam Goodes training at the SCG last week in preparation for Friday night's preliminary final
