Mitch Aubusson’s biggest role gives him new outlook on life
Sport can be a tough industry, where a win or a loss determines the mentality of an athlete's life week to week.
But for Sydney Roosters star Mitch Aubusson, a man who has played more than a decade in first grade, the results are starting to matter a little less.
With a nine-month-old daughter now at home to care and provide for, rugby league has been put into perspective with what really matters in life.
Speaking on the Ladies Who League podcast earlier this week, the second-rower spoke highly about his new role as a father and how much he loves being a dad.
"It's changed me a bit actually. Win lose or draw, Daisy doesn't care," he said.
"After training you rush to get home because you know she'll be sitting there with a grin on her face waiting.
"She levels me out and it's helped me take the wins and losses a lot better than what I used to."
Enjoying being a parent, describing it as "the best thing you can do", Aubusson says the biggest thing he's noticed is that time just flies by.
"It could be two or three hours of sitting there honestly looking at her. You'll look at your watch and think wow, I haven't even done anything today."
On the road a lot during winter and spending long hours training, Aubusson also acknowledged how grateful he is for his wife Laura and what she does for their baby.
"It's tiring, it's hard work and my wife is a saint.
"The work that the girls put into the bubs out there is something so special. They keep showing up no matter what time of the day or night it is."
Major milestones offer Aubusson a chance to reflect
With a 250-game milestone looming later in the year, it's been a good season for Aubusson to sit back and reflect on his time with the Roosters.
It was the first place he went straight out of school at just 18 years old, and he says he feels like he owes so much to the club.
"For me it's home."
"They've seen me turn from a boy into a man, and from a man into a father.
"They've always looked after me and taught me so much about myself, the least I can do is give everything I can on that footy field and training paddock for what they've done for me."
Plenty have questioned the Roosters ability to gel with some big names added to their line up in 2018.
And having won four from four, sitting eighth on the ladder, they're not quite living up to the expectation that surrounded their squad during the pre-season.
Despite the shaky start, Aubusson is confident it'll all come together in time.
"Obviously with Coops [Cooper Cronk], everything he's done, he's come in and hasn't really missed a beat with training and taught all the guys the professionalism of the game," he said.
"Teddy Tedesco is a young guy coming in who's played a lot of first grade for his age and a lot of representative footy as well.
"Both of those guys have brought a lot to our team and over time they are only going to get better as they fit into our structures and we fit into how they play footy."
Coming up against Manly after a disappointing loss to the Dragons, the Roosters are focused on bouncing back.
"Obviously Manly are going through some stuff at the moment. They're in the media a fair bit and that's dangerous.
"The Manly teams that that's happened to over the years have come out the next week and performed really well.
"We're looking to right a few wrongs that happened in that Anzac Day game, get together and really put on a good performance for our fans and ourselves."
Having had Laura and Daisy in the stands on Anzac Day, Aubusson is excited to have them watching again at the Sydney Football Stadium this weekend.
It'll be Sunday Funday for families at the match, with a free sausage sizzle for kids and a $40 family ticket offer available online right up until kick off.
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ABC .net
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