Anthony Koutoufides
• Played 278 games at the Carlton Football club, retiring 2007.
• 1995 Carlton Premiership player, Club Captain, won two best and fairest and was All Australian player in 1995 and 2000, as well as Australian Football Hall of Fame Inductee, in 2014
In your adolescent years, you had to make a big decision to make. You were a state under-16 high jump champion and also competed in the 110m hurdles and the discus. Then you made a choice to switch from track and field athletics to Australian rules football. What influenced your decision?
You bled Carlton as you were there in the junior Squad from 14 yoa and retired at 34 yoa. What was the highlight of your career?
Your most memorable performance for many fans was possibly the final quarter against Essendon in the 1999 preliminary final where we beat the heavily favoured Bombers in a famous come from behind victory in the last quarter. What’s your best recollection of this day?
On the flip side, it wasn’t all ups with your AFL career. You suffered a PCL injury in 2000, in a year where you were in one of the frontrunners for the Brownlow. This injury saw you miss out on the Brownlow that year. The following year, in 2001, you sustained a serious ACL injury and didn’t play again until the end of 2002. How did you cope with these disappointments?
In your autobiography – Kouta – you described the challenges you had with Dennis Pagan. In your biog, you were authentic and honest about your differences in opinion. What’s your thoughts on this period in your footy?
What advice to you give up incoming adolescents who want to play AFL or other elite level sports?
Beyond footy. You are a family man, married to Suzie with three children. In 2006, you won the fifth season of Seven networks Dancing with the Stars. In 2008, you played ‘Kouta the Greek God’ in the Seven Network’s revival of Gladiators.And now you’re launching your newest venture, KoutaFit. Tell us about your latest project – KoutaFit – and what it has to offer.
Your health philosophy is 20% exercise, 80% nutrition and 100% mindset – what does this mean?