Andrew Lee has impressed coaching staff with the lengths he is prepared to go to this season in order to make his mark on the competition.
Following a few fumbles at training, assistant coach, Adrian Hickmott issued Lee with the challenge of carrying a football around with him everyday and everywhere in order to improve his touch with the ball.
Competitive nature got the best of him and three months later, the ‘Lee ball’ has become Lee’s most featured accessory but more importantly, he believes it has benefited his handling of the football.
“When we first started pre-season, I fumbled the ball a couple of times and Adrian Hickmott gave a ball to me and told me to carry it around with me to improve my touch,” Lee said.
“Since I have been carrying it around, my handling of the ball seems to have improved on the track but I am copping it from the boys off the track.”
Quickly becoming one of Lee’s closest companions, he is prepared to take the ball anywhere and everywhere.
“The ball goes home with me, it sleeps with me, and sometimes it gets stolen or hidden on me as well,” Lee said. “The boys like to play a few games and all that sort of stuff but it does everything with me.
“It’s been stolen countless numbers of times, hidden under stairs, hidden in people’s lockers or hidden at the bottom of the ball bin so that I have to pull out 150 balls before I can find mine. Jason Laycock is a big culprit and Leroy Jetta is another one of the guys who likes to play a trick or two.
“Sometimes I get a bit frustrated with having to carry it around all of the time, but at the end of the day it’s only going to help me and benefit my career. It is something small but if it might help why not do it.”
Enthusiastic about the interest that Hickmott has shown towards his career, Lee is full of praise following his addition to the Essendon coaching panel.
“I reckon Hicky is sensational,” Lee said. “He is willing to help out with anything, whether it be going through the tapes to look at the way I play or on the track, he is always enthusiastic and really helpful.”
It is fair to say the ball has grown on Lee who has added his own flair and artwork to it and has even become slightly protective of it.
“I’ve added a couple of decorations to it such as a few stars and have put a bit of artwork on it so that I could recognise it.,” Lee said. “I’ve written ‘Lee’ on it a couple of times and I guess that is how it got the name the ‘Lee ball’.
“It’s starting to look a bit worn because it travelled to Tassie and got kicked around on the road a little bit, but I have to be faithful and I’m not going to trade it in just yet.”
As for how long this new relationship will last, Lee does not want to give away too much.
“Maybe until the start of the season or maybe until the end of the year. It depends on what
