It’s fair to say Kelvin Moore knows a bit about ball and socket joints; especially the hip joint. After no less than nine operations on his hips, he was forced into retirement at 28 years of age. The irony is the hip injuries that ruined his promising career kick started the next phase of his life.

Kel Moore played 87 AFL games for the Richmond Football Club as a key defender, but he was crippled by degenerative hip injuries in the second half of his eight-year career. Despite finally returning to the field in round 16 last year, after almost two years out, he decided to retire.

“I just got to a point where I couldn’t go on and it wasn’t fair on the team and myself if I couldn’t play at 100 per cent,” Moore said.

Moore is now working for orthopaedic distribution company PurePlay who supply prosthesis to surgeons performing joint replacements. It is Moore’s job to assist the surgical team to ensure the placement of the nuts and bolts is done correctly.

Moore says it has been a “steep learning curve” given he doesn’t have a medical background, “but being injured all the time you learn a bit along the way” he said. He is enjoying being a part of the surgical team and not the patient. Such is the symmetry of this role reversal Moore spent two weeks observing the surgeon who fought to save his career, Dr David Young.

Moore describes Young as “a great mentor”. Perhaps an understatement given Young is considered a world class orthoapeadic surgeon. He has operated on sports stars from all over the world including cricketers Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne. There is probably no better.

“Football is great, I got a lot out of it and I loved every minute of it but I got to the point where I thought there is more to life to football” – Kel Moore.

There is no doubt Moore’s experience and reputation gained within the AFL was influential in gaining the opportunity at PurePlay. He first heard of PurePlay through the AFL Players’ Association Alumni network that put Moore in touch with a founding director of PurePlay, former Hawthorn and Richmond footballer Mark Graham.

Moore never considered such a direction during his playing career. In fact he expected to be wearing the blue of the Police rather than surgical scrubs after hanging up the boots. Moore completed work experience with the Victoria Police through the AFL Players’ Association Next Goal program.  Moore says his new direction shows the power of the alumni network and the importance of an open mind.

“It is important to make the most of your opportunities, there are so many courses and programs out there and great people that you can meet along the way. Always be open to suggestions and opportunities and follow people up. It might not be something you are currently interested in but you never know,” he said.

“The AFL and the AFLPA have more connections than anyone else out there so if you can make the most of it, it will help you decide what you want to do post football, which will often come along a lot quicker than you think.”

Mark Graham also entered the orthopaedic distribution industry via the surgical table. While lying in a hospital bed at Vimy House nursing a reconstructed wrist and shoulder he had a chance encounter with a physio who knew a surgeon who had a mate who also had an opportunity.

“One thing Terry Wallace told me when I was in the decision making process of retiring was ‘don’t say no to anything. Go and meet as many people as you can and get as much information as you can’. One thing led to another and here I am today,” Graham said.

Graham can also attest to the power of AFL alumni.

“The network that you develop if you want to is really strong in the AFL and the AFLPA especially. They have their new alumni program up and going which I fully support and I think it is a fantastic initiative from the AFLPA and without having that network I wouldn’t be doing what I am today,” he said.

While the job of an AFL footballer and an orthopaedic surgeon are vastly different, the common reliance on teamwork in both professions has afforded Graham and Moore the ability to form strong relationships within the industry.

“Everyone plays their role…it’s a real team focus set-up,” Graham said.

Graham stresses the importance of players preparing themselves for life after football while still playing and believes AFL footballers gain skills transferable to the business world without realising it.

“One of the things Kelvin is really good at is that he is a good listener and good at forming relationships. People warm to him. If you want to get into a sales type role and you want to get belly-to-belly with the customer, having interpersonal skills and being aware of your surroundings is really important,” he said.

Moore is grateful for the opportunities and is intent to make every post a winner. He returned to the field when doctors said he wouldn’t and he doesn’t talk with an ounce of bitterness at how his career finished.

“Football is great, I got a lot out of it and I loved every minute of it but I got to the point where I thought there is more to life to football.”