Under pressure from the first bounce, no-frills defender Lukas Markovic is forced to take on each contest like it’s his last every time he steps out onto the football field.

Going head-to-head with some of the opposition’s most coveted forwards, what happened two seconds, two minutes or two weeks ago is no longer relevant, it is his actions in that moment that dictates who comes out the other side victorious.

It’s a similar attitude the 26 year old brings to one of his off field passions, working with disadvantaged and at risk youths - it is not what you have done in the past but rather your current actions that speaks volumes.

Watch Time On with Lukas Markovic on the media player above, thanks to BodyScience.

“I’m there to help these kids in the future, not about what they have done in the past, so that’s the main message I have always remembered,” Markovic said. 

“It is certainly an interesting landscape with that sort of work - it’s really rewarding and I think the kids are quite grateful for it.

“You hear some sad stories… but seeing people come out the other side is good - it gives you hope that there is always good in them and they want to get something out of themselves.

“They just needed a good structure around them to actually get that and realise that sometimes.”

Volunteering his time once a week to mentor and provide support to a young boy through the AFL affiliated organisation Ladder, Markovic believes that he is relatable, while his position as a football player provides an example of just how far hard work can take you.

After originally stumbling across youth work by chance, he now envisions a career post-football helping young, vulnerable people realise their potential.

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Enrolled to begin a Bachelor of Arts at Victoria University part-time next year majoring in psychology and sociology, he believes his experiences working with Ladder and previously with an organisation called White Lion will compliment and add valuable insight into his studies.

With White Lion he had visited juvenile detention centres one day a week for a full year and while confronting, even for a 193cm key defender, he said it was an eye opening and rewarding experience.

“It’s always going to be confronting… you are always teetering on the edge of your comfort zone which is good, I think - it is something that keeps you on your toes and that is like footy,” he said.

“I see these kids that are still trying to get something out of themselves after they have been let down by certain systems and they can push through that and want to better themselves.

“If you put people on the same level I think it is interesting how resilient some of these young people are.

“Really deep down what they have been through, to still be off the streets… and seeking help and embracing it - it is pretty amazing.”

Taking inspiration from the resilience of his newfound acquaintances, Markovic is adopting the same mentality working towards becoming a ruthless competitor on the field.

With just 23 games under his belt, Markovic made his return to the seniors last weekend after being restricted to the sidelines for a number of weeks with a reoccurring hamstring complaint.

While injuries have often plagued him in crucial times of his career, he is in the right mindset to rebound back.

“It was good to get out there and not feel completely out of place,” he said.

“I have missed a lot of football this year and it was good to get amongst it and really focus on my one on one contests.

“Although I didn’t win them all it was good to still have a couple of little wins for the day, so that was important for me.

“I think I can take confidence going forward from that… just getting back to beating my opponent as often as I can and being a real ruthless competitor “