With every new revelation, Lawson Humphries reaffirms his status as one of football's most intriguing characters.
Bursting onto the scene in spectacular fashion during his debut season with the Cats, the dashing defender quickly became a fan favourite and a cult hero at Geelong.
Clearly a brilliant footballer and a key part of the Cats' line-up, Humphries also studies anthropology at university to stay mentally sharp during his time away from the game.
But what has drawn the most attention is the cool, calm and collected demeanour that he approaches his football with, a remarkable trait for a player just 33 games into his AFL career.
The secret behind that relaxed on-field presence?
A classic Aussie song and a calming playlist that keeps Humphries grounded as part of his pre-game routine.
"I start listening to music pre-game, music is the thing for me a couple hours before when you start to get excited," Humphries said.
"Travelling into Melbourne, I will probably chill out until I get to the ground because you don't want to get too amped up too early. Even my music is pretty chill.
"I have a lot of songs that are sentimental to me and that is what gets me excited to play footy."
One contributing factor to Humphries' rapid rise has been the ability to absorb and learn from some of the game's great players.
Around the Geelong locker room there are names such as Patrick Dangerfield, Jeremy Cameron and Mark Blicavs, all helping to give Humphries a more well-rounded perspective on what it takes to succeed at the top level.
"They are not necessarily giving advice, but you just see how they go about it," Humphries told media.
"They have a really good understanding of what they like to do, and what is going to prepare them best for playing their best on the weekend. I think you can learn a lot from just watching these guys and seeing how they do it.
"That has been the beauty of having those guys around, that experience and that dedication to craft, you get a greater understanding of the work that goes into it. For me, with those older and more experienced guys, learning from them from what they do and not necessarily what they say.
"I think that has held us in good stead all year."
Another player who got his first taste of Finals footy last year, Humphries said he is relishing the opportunity to live out a childhood dream, playing at the MCG in front of a big crowd to commence a Finals campaign.
"GMHBA Stadium is home, but I personally like the big ground," Humphries admitted.
"I like lots of space, I am not an inside bull so I much prefer having a bit more space to run on the wings and at half back.
"I am pretty happy to play at the 'G. I think as a kid, you grow up and you want to play the big games at the 'G.
"It is a privilege to play at the MCG and it is the home of footy, so I think I would prefer to play there."
