Thirteen years into football retirement much has changed for Nic Fosdike, and much has stayed the same.

He lives a 15-minute walk from the SCG, which was home throughout his 164-game career from 1999-2008, and he operates under the rules and principles of the ‘Bloods’ and the Sydney Swans.

Except now at 41 it’s not contested possessions, kicking efficiency and defensive pressure acts that are a daily focus – it’s family and women’s fashion.

He and wife Amy own and operate Launch Fashion Management, a business they started in their loungeroom 15 years ago. It now has 30 brands (mostly in women’s wear) with offices in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, employs 20 people, and sees him dealing with major retailers across the country.

“I still don’t know the difference between what looks good and bad in women’s fashion, so I just run the business side of things,” he explained, having moved back into Launch Fashion Management full-time after last year selling two Anytime Fitness gyms he had also owned and operated.

Fosdike, a hugely popular team-first player during his days in the red and white #12 guernsey, didn’t do any formal business study and gets by, he says, on the lessons he learned at the Swans.

“It’s not that complicated. A business is basically the same as a footy club. As long as you’ve got good people, good culture, good teamwork, and good work ethic, you’ll be OK.

“Our staff like working for us because we trust them to do their job and we back them. You just need good discipline and everyone chipping in and trying their best. It’s the Bloods culture … I regurgitate it every day.”

Nic and Amy have two daughters – six-year-old Winnie, in her second year at school, and three-year-old Darci. Between business and family there’s not a lot of time for much else.

“I coached down at the UTS Bats (University of Technology – Sydney) for five years before the kids and loved being involved.

“Winnie played footy the year before Covid and I was looking forward to taking her to a Swans game last year. Obviously, that didn’t happen, but we’ll get to a few games this year.

“I was so lucky to play at a good club with a lot of great people and to enjoy a bit of success, but it’s so long ago.

“I’ll watch the Swans on TV and think ‘did I really do that?’. It seems so long ago and I have to pinch myself when I think about 100,000 people at the MCG on grand final day.”

Drafted from SANFL club Norwood at No.3 in the 1998 AFL Draft behind Des Headland and Justin Longmuir, Fosdike grew up a massive Adelaide Crows fan and wore on his back the #34 of his favorite player Ben Hart.

“I used to go to the footy every week with my two brothers and my cousin – we’d sit in the outer while Mum and Dad were in the members. We just loved it,” he recalled.

It’s no surprise, then, he remembers his AFL debut very clearly – against the Crows at Football Park.

“My first three opponents were Hart, (Mark) Riccuito and (Nigel) Smart. In my first 10 minutes on the ground I didn’t get a touch and I was looking up into the stands thinking: ‘I used to sit up there’.

“But second time out I got a couple of kicks and then I was away. It was weird to be playing against blokes I’d idolised all my life.”

If there’s a game Fosdike remembers even more fondly it might be the 2005 AFL Grand Final.

The Sydney Swans beat the West Coast Eagles by four points after the famous ‘Leo Barry You Star’ mark, and Fosdike could easily have won the Norm Smith Medal.

He topped the Swans in possessions (26), tackles (7) and clearances (7), and with 10 contested possessions was second only to teammate Amon Buchanan (11). But he ran second in medal voting to West Coast’s Chris Judd.

It was only the fourth time – and the last time – since the medal was introduced in 1982 that it went to a member of the losing side. Many Swans fans still argue Fosdike was hard done by.

Asked if he should have won it, Fosdike laughed and said “I get asked that a bit and now I just say ‘yeah, of course’. Honestly, I didn’t give it a thought. I was just pleased that my teammates knew I had a fair crack and a decent game.”

Indeed he did. Just like he did every time he wore Sydney Swans colours.