Whether you like sport or not, there's no denying the way players of any code become compelling personalities.
Their lifestyle is unique – with the exception of our politicians, nobody's profession or passion plays out in the public eye like theirs.
This is true of any code in Australia.
Be it the NRL, A-League, AFLW or NBL, we really can't get enough of our favourite players and teams.
That being said, more often than not, and particularly with the AFL, it feels like something is lacking – a frankness perhaps, that has been lost in a quagmire of media management as the game has, to its immense credit, continued to grow and grow.
Richmond and Hawthorn were both criticised during the finals for battening down the hatches and doing the bare minimum of media.
Compare and contrast this to teams in the NBA, and the difference is stark.
Players are not only made available for media before and after games, they're expected to speak.
They're allowed to be honest when they feel uncomfortable, when they're happy, when they're angry.
When he was playing for the lowly Sacramento Kings a few years ago, DeMarcus Cousins outright admitted his hatred for the Chris Paul-led Los Angeles Clippers after the Kings were on the receiving end of a string of losses.
Was he criticised for it? Absolutely not.
What's more human and revealing that telling an honest (and admittedly obvious) truth?
All 30 NBA teams held their media day on Tuesday, where every player, coach and general manager is obliged to answer media questions ahead of their pre-season.
It is frequently one of the most interesting days on the calendar as players who were traded or signed with new teams speak about new situations, new teammates.
It leads to utterly compelling stories.
Getting back to the AFL, credit must go to Collingwood for recently making about half their team available for interviews, and for letting the likes of injured defender Lynden Dunn speak openly about the club's changes over the past 12 months.
Without it, we wouldn't have enjoyed the important stories – like Adam Treloar's season-long battle with anxiety.
Of course, with that comes the expectation the media must step up as well.
More teams ought to bring the curtain down – in Collingwood's case, the benefits have been plain for all to see.
Chris Young is a Fairfax journalist
