It was only a few weeks ago that I was writing about my days off, having a spa and a coffee and relaxing with a few of the boys.

That’s changed now, but it’s changed for the good.

A couple of weeks ago I started a work placement at Evans and Partners, which is a private broking firm in Pitt St in the city.

I’ve been doing a Bachelor of Economics - slowly! - and take an interest in finance and the stock market.

Our player welfare manager Dennis Carroll and my manager helped me sort out the placement, which is half a day a week.

It’s a really good opportunity to find out what it’s like to work in an office, so each Wednesday I put on my suit and head off early into the city. I go off to work and pretend I know what I’m doing!

But seriously, it’s a chance to observe and learn, and I follow around a guy called Peter Jorgensen, who played both rugby union and rugby league at a very high level, and I get a sort of drip feed on how the business works.

I spoke to Ted Richards before I started and he encouraged me to dive in and do it. He works at Citi one day a week, and he’s found it really beneficial in a lot of ways.

His close friend, Jobe Watson, captain of Essendon, does the same thing and works at Evans and Partners in Melbourne.

I’ve enjoyed it so far. It’s a really different mental challenge to the routine of playing and training for footy, which I’m used to, and it’s good to get out of my comfort zone.

It’s positive to have that five or six hours a week where your mind is not focused on footy.

It was a really disappointing performance last Sunday against Carlton. We made basic errors by foot and hand and couldn’t cope with the pressure that Carlton put on us.

But I think we’re capable of turning it around this week. We had the effort last week and this week we need to get the execution right and use the ball well.

I’m confident that if everyone gives a four quarter effort, we can go well this week against Collingwood.