For Richmond people, the ladder has been a source of great despair during its 13-year finals exile.
However for two of its players, Daniel Jackson and Ivan Maric, a Ladder of a different kind has been the source of great enjoyment and passion.
Ladder is the official charity of AFL Players’, an organization whose mission is to tackle youth homelessness by inspiring young people to follow their hopes, dreams and aspirations.
It was started by players, it’s funded by players and it’s continually inspired by players.
Jackson became a board member in 2012, but has been involved since early in his career after striking-up a friendship with Ladder CEO and founder Mark Bolton.
Maric has been working with Ladder since 2007 and is now an ambassador for Homepage for the Homeless, an online shopping gateway that re-distributes a portion of every sale to Ladder.
Both players were born into loving families who provided the opportunity and support to pursue careers as AFL footballers. Both had a roof over their heads and food on the table.
So what motivated them to look outside the AFL bubble and onto the streets and become involved in helping kids battling homelessness?
For Maric, it is about his strong family values and a genuine want to help others. He might be an imposing character on the football field, but off it, he is softly spoken and genuinely cares for other people.
While at the Adelaide Crows, former teammate Kris Massie thought Maric might like to get involved and in Maric’s carefully chosen words, “he was right, it was”.
Maric had already been working with United Care Wesley in Adelaide but admits he had no idea how prevalent homelessness was amongst young people.
“I was actually quite shocked, I couldn’t believe the numbers and how some people are just brought up homeless and that’s how they just get trapped in that environment,” he says.
“I wasn’t really educated in that area and I don’t think many people are in Australia, and its good to get the awareness of that out there in the public.”
The reality of what life on the street can be like hit Maric between the eyes when he was told about the story of a 12-year-old girl who had been raped and abused. It was somewhat of a call to action for the young footballer at the time.
“That affected me quite a lot, because you don’t hear about those sort of stories on TV, it shocked me quite a bit.”
“That affected me quite a lot, because you don’t hear about those sort of stories on TV, it shocked me quite a bit” – Ivan Maric
A key component of the Ladder model is to provide young people with accommodation; its primary goal is to provide young people with the skills to fulfill their dreams. For Jackson, his experiences with mental health led to his involvement with Ladder and the opportunity to make a difference in a young person’s life has fuelled his passion.
“Not only does Ladder provide the structure of having somewhere to live for a young person, they also work to up-skill them and provide those support networks they don’t otherwise have.”
“It is important that people have people who care in their lives and Ladder cares in a whole lot of different areas and ways. It was an easy option to be involved with them.”
Both players agree that the benefit to AFL footballers of having a direct involved in charity and Ladder specifically, spurns reciprocal benefits.
For Jackson, Ladder provides the opportunity to meet and learn from people from all walks of life, whether that be a 16-year-old trying to find his way, or a powerful businessman similarly wanting to put something back into the community.
Overall it provides him with perspective and a reminder that despite what is said inside the walls of a football club or shouted down the race after a tough loss, football is only a game.
“Whilst you have to put all your heart, energy and passion into playing football, there is always room to make sure you help other people in need and that’s why I found having that balance in life between sport and the real world has certainly kept me a balanced person”, Jackson said.
Maric has had to fight hard for his opportunity at AFL level and ultimately he had to move states and change teams to get it. There is no doubt he is thankful for where he is in life and working with Ladder provides a stark reminder that life beyond the boundary isn’t always so rosy.
“I know a lot of kids in Australia and around the world don’t get the opportunities they deserve and I’m not going to waste mine,” he says.
Maric believes AFL players have the ability to deliver a powerful message given the position they hold within society and urges all players to harness it to do good in one way shape or another.
“You can never underestimate that and I suppose a lot of players would probably be embarrassed and feel they don’t have that power, but it’s unbelievable how powerful it is and I encourage them all to get involved.”
Jackson is loathe is use the word responsibility or role model during his reflections, but he is bullish about the benefits of being involved with Ladder and the type of footballers the organisation attracts.
“They have a lot of integrity and it shows that they are giving their time and effort to Ladder.”
“We have had some great ambassadors and people involved with the programs over the last few years, who have made a real difference and had a great impact on young people lives.”
Ladder was started in 2004 by a group of AFL footballers and currently every AFL player donates a portion of his match fee each week directly to Ladder.