A pre-Christmas training venture in Darwin was the driving force towards Jed Anderson ‘loving his footy again’, the midfielder has revealed.

Anderson says training with his brother, Joe, his best mates and former North player, now Darwin Buffaloes coach Matt Campbell helped him regain his mojo.

“I found that love for footy again and sort of had that want to get better and play senior football and show everyone what I can do,” he told The Herald Sun’s Eliza Sewell.

“I was just training with mates, helping them out week to week. It was good. I just loved being back there (in Darwin) and playing footy.”

The former Hawk admits he ‘lost the passion’ after a couple of trying years at his new club, with injuries and form restricting him from ever really getting going.

“I guess I was just playing catch-up footy, catching up with what I missed in the pre-season,” Anderson said.

“There was a little bit of uninterest and I lost the passion to play. It was just getting myself up each week to play. I battled through the mid-year through injury, and I was just finding it hard.

“Come game day I was just mentally fatigued and it gets hard to get that consistent footy.

“At the back end of last year I found that want again and played some good footy in the last five or six games, and playing that last game against Brisbane I was excited and ready to get stuck into it.”

Anderson worked with Brad Scott, his manager Tom Petroro and North High Performance Manager Jona Segal in the off-season, ensuring he hit the ground running in 2018. 

“Utah was that first step to get in that pre-Christmas base running,” he said.

“I had to pay (for) myself.

“It was something we (he and his wife Nicky) looked at and it was the best thing for us. Pretty much everything (can be attributed to Utah). It set me up.”

That trip home to Darwin was also hugely beneficial.

“Just getting back home with my wife and two kids (sons Elijah, 5, and Jasiah, 3), just seeing the family,” Anderson said.

“We didn’t get back there at all last year. It just made it special to get back home and just hang out with them and just do what we normally do and just relax. Just get away from the footy life.

“In season you’re focused on playing and wanting to play … I think you lose that sense of home and family life and I think just getting the balance right.

“The biggest thing was getting the balance right with footy and home life and it’s worked out really well this year.

“I’m happy on-field and off-field, which is good.”

Anderson has played the first four games of 2018, with a 23-disposal haul against Carlton arguably the best outing of his short career.

“Leading into games I felt a lot fitter and stronger,” he added.

“I’ve just toned up a little bit. I feel my aerobic capacity is a lot better and I’m able to run out games.”