BK: You won the Morris Medal playing for Wodonga in 2016 with Yarrawonga’s Tyler Bonat. It’s fair to say you enjoyed the night just like Raider Brodie Filo on Monday night?

MS: I was talking to a few people and they said Brodie got a bit loose coming off a Mad Monday. I really enjoyed myself that night. You have to relax because it can drag on a bit. The season is over, so you might as well enjoy the count.

BK: How have you adapted to the Hume league playing at Brock-Burrum?

MS: I think I’ve adapted pretty well. The standard is better than I thought it would be. It’s a really even, good competition. It suits how I want to play football going forward.

BK: Your second-half of the season has been particularly good

MS: I’d say I’ve been more consistent in the second half of the year. Our midfield has been more settled and I think that’s helped me a lot.

BK: You like to crash and bash, how have you found the opposition?

MS: The young ones cause me the most problems and Peter Hancock was a good tussle too. The young Rand-Walbundrie-Walla Giants ruckman Mitch Thomas should go into town. I struggled with him the most because of his jump.

BK: You made the grand final this year, but your wife Emily didn’t. What happened with the netball?

MS: They didn’t make the finals. I went out there thinking we could be playing finals together. It’s great playing at the same club as your wife with our little daughter, Charli, and another one on the way. We couldn’t have done another year at separate clubs. It’s just too hard.

BK: It sounds like it’s been a good move?

MS: I love Brock-Burrum, it’s a ripping family club. Coming from Wodonga which I loved so much, I’ve felt just as included. Wodonga will always be home but Brock-Burrum is now home as well. I have two homes.

BK: The time was right for a move though?

MS: I would have stopped playing footy if my only option was O and M. I was done. It was too much. My body was just giving up. I’m the lightest I’ve ever been because I’ve been staying away from the track and taking it a bit easier.

BK: Have any teammates or opposition players caught your attention this year?

MS: Aidan Johnson is an untapped talent and Nico Sedgwick is a gun with his attack on the footy. Damian Cupido kicked eight against us at Brock one day and was unbelievable and Jarrah Makysmow is good as well. I think the main thing though is the young talent out there. There are so many who should go to the Ovens and Murray and try out, players like Eddy Ziebarth. Selfishly though Eddy should stay at Brock until I finish and then he should go in.

BK: When did you last play in a grand final?

MS: 2010 at Heidelberg. We were undefeated and won the preliminary by 70 points before losing the grand final by 80. It was a 150-point turnaround.

BK: Before that you had a pretty good run. How many premierships have you played in?

MS: I started with two fourths flags at Mitta. Then we won 13, 14, 15 and under 17 premierships as well as thirds at Wodonga and seniors in 2006 at Heidelberg. I played in reserve flags in 2007 and 2008 and then seniors in 2009. It’s been a drought since then though. I thought that’s just what it was going to be like.

BK: It sounds like beating Jindera would mean a lot at Walbundrie on Saturday?

MS: Winning in Melbourne was great as a kid but to actually do it as one of the leaders would mean a lot to me.

BK: Good luck

MS: Thanks