Adam Goodes hopes his legacy will be more than just football.
In the wake of last month's Sydney siege and the Paris massacre by Islamist gunmen, Goodes' message of racial harmony has never felt more relevant.
And the 2014 Australian of the Year says his advocacy work won't stop on January 26 when he hands the baton to the next recipient.
He's won two AFL premierships with Sydney and a pair of Brownlow Medals, but the anti-racism campaigner has also become a leader off the field in his fight against discrimination.
Goodes' stance against racism came to the fore in 2013 after a 13-year-old Collingwood supporter called him an "ape" at an MCG game that opened the AFL's Indigenous Round.
He pointed the girl out and spoke powerfully after the incident, but he hasn't always been so strong.
"I was a very shy kid growing up, I never called people out when they racially vilified me," he told AAP.
Even as Australian of the Year, he was not going to hold back.
The position gave him a unique platform to raise the issues of racism, violence against women and constitutional recognition.
"They are the three pillars that I've really been supporting this year," he said.
His tenure as Australian of the Year attracted criticism last November when he told the BBC his nation's history was built on "lies".
Goodes said government policies had suppressed indigenous people and other minorities, calling for better education about the country's past.
But he said he didn't want to be a token ambassador in the role, and was willing to cop flak if he could challenge society and inspire it to grow.
The 35-year-old, whose mother is a member of the Stolen Generation, has been on his own personal journey to discover his identity and heritage.
And while the 16-season Swans stalwart hasn't ruled out playing AFL past 2015, he also hasn't ruled out a career in politics when he finally hangs up his boots.
"If you want to do really good work out there for a lot of people you have to work with government," he said.
"There's no doubt that I'll be working with government in life after football. Whether it's in a political role or not, we'll wait and see."
He's already done so in the charity he runs with former teammate Michael O'Loughlin, the Go Foundation, which provides scholarships for young indigenous students.
And Goodes says when it comes to racial tolerance, grown ups can get an education from children.
"Kids get it. Kids know that we're all different but we're all the same. I think us as adults can keep learning," he said.
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