WHAT'S it like working alongside the game's biggest names on match day?
Former Hawthorn, Melbourne and Essendon opposition and game analyst Luke Chambers has a firsthand perspective, sharing a coaches' box with the likes of Alastair Clarkson, James Hird and Simon Goodwin.
Chambers is this week's guest on AFL.com.au podcast Trends, where he joins Marc McGowan to discuss the highs and lows of his nine years working in the AFL.
"As you really get a foothold in the industry, they become less intimidating," Chambers told Trends of working with the coaching leviathans.
"They're different characters. They've obviously got their idiosyncrasies (and) they've got their egos, but they're also really good family people as well, when you get to know them on that level."
Chambers relays the stress, pressure, high expectations and lack of sleep in his old role, as well as the satisfaction of contributing to team success, including his part in the Hawks' 2008 Grand Final win.
Trends is a podcast for the hardcore and average football fan who wants to know more about what happens behind the scenes and what they watch each weekend.
Episode guide
2:34 - What does an opposition analyst do?
4:26 - "It's a little bit like a firing squad sometimes"
5:53 - The satisfaction of uncovering a rival's tactic
7:21 - What makes an "unforgiving industry" worth it
8:37 - Working alongside the game's biggest names
10:59 - The stress of providing an instant answer
11:42 - Contributing to Clarko's 'Kill the shark' strategy
14:00 - "Geelong were wanting to come straight through us"
17:00 - Why starting positions are making analysts' role easier
18:57 - New rules can leave coaches feeling "helpless"
