Most AFL players are used to riding the rollercoaster of life as a professional footballer.

But spare a thought for the fresh-faced rookies of the game, like the Dogs’ first-round draft pick from last year, Cody Weightman. 

His head would’ve still been spinning from only a few months into his AFL journey, when he was confronted by a league shutdown and immediate period of isolation after the completion of just one round.

But the laid back 19-year-old has taken it all in his stride. 

“It’s a little bit different to what the boys are used to,” he said.

“But for us first years’, it’s all we know.  It hasn’t been too bad for us. 

“It’s weird, but that’s for pretty much everyone, not just footballers.  You just push forward, and I think we’ve been able to do that really well. 

Before the lockdown, Weightman was lucky to have a first-hand look at what it takes to succeed at the highest level – living with Mitch Wallis. 

“I was fortunate enough to go in with him and his partner Em, and they took me under their wing pretty much straight after the draft,” he said.

“He’s been huge for me.  It’s just the little things – the way he lives outside of football…everything from diet to training standards.”

Weightman is an avid golfer (despite admitting he’s “no good at all”) and surfer, but both of those activities have been on the banned list for players over the last few months. 

Instead, he developed a passion for art (showing plenty of natural talent!) during the isolation period, painting dozens of surfboards in his own backyard.