GROWING up in Ulverstone in Tasmania, music has always been a vehicle for Fremantle captain Alex Pearce to understand himself, and the world around him.

So, when former Triple J presenter Bridget Hustwaite moved west with partner Oscar McDonald in late 2023, a fast friendship was formed. Now two years later, the pair are launching a podcast, Fan to Fan, to delve into their shared love of music.

"I think music really just opened the world up to me. I grew up in a small town in Tasmania, sheltered life in a way, it's not very diverse," Pearce told AFL.com.au.

"Listening to music, to the radio and Triple J in particular, and hearing different stories and listening to different artists from different backgrounds, it's helped me understand people in the world, and society, a little bit more."

Pearce and Hustwaite look at home in their setup at Backchat Studios in Collingwood. Big Scary and Kasey Musgraves records are littered behind them; Pearce wears a well-loved The Beefs t-shirt. It's a far cry from the corridors of the Dockers' Cockburn headquarters.

Music has been the constant for Pearce through his footy career, one that has been littered with serious highs, but also injury and disappointment. His Dockers returned to finals this season after two years in the wilderness, but were bundled out by the Gold Coast fairytale.

"I speak about this on the first pod when I talk about my life through music and dealing with injuries and the ups and downs of a football career, and finding some solace in music," Pearce said.

"It's your own, a private space, and sometimes the AFL men's industry can be a little bit narrow and stereotypical and masculine in a way, so being able to listen to whatever music I want and escape, it's helped me feel comfortable in just being myself.

"And particularly as a young player, you feel you have to fit in and just walk the same path, whereas now I feel like I can be myself which is a little bit different. I'm probably known to my teammates, and I get a bit of s*** – in a positive way – from my teammates about clothes I wear, my hair, my music taste, which I'm really comfortable with now. But being able to listen to music has helped me express myself."

With such passion, the idea of dipping a toe into the world of music has been lurking in Pearce's mind for some time. But once Hustwaite entered the frame, it became more of a reality.

"I've always wanted to do something that's completely outside of football and the industry, and I've always loved music, and when Bridget was coming over, I had this thought that I reckon we should do something one day, music-wise," Pearce said.

"I never told her… I thought it was a bit hopeful and a bit ambitious for myself."

That hopeful ambition was only revealed to Hustwaite when they sat down to record their first episode of Fan to Fan. Instead, it was Hustwaite who threw the idea of doing a podcast together out there originally.

"We were having a (text) message conversation. I was like 'Oh, would you want to do a podcast?' We could just do an easy seasonal music podcast on the off-season. And 'Moose's' (Pearce) response then got formal," Hustwaite laughed.

"It's like 'Yes, I'd be interested to sit down and discuss', and I was like 'OK Alex'."

Pearce took the project seriously – if they were going to do it, they would do it well. They had the resources at their disposal to put together something genuine. Guests have bought in, with episodes with people like Paul Kelly, Stella Donnelly, and former West Coast player Mitch Brown already in the can.

"I went over to your place that weekend to chat about it," Hustwaite said to Pearce.

"He had a packet of brand new, unopened Sharpies, pastel coloured, and butchers' paper. I was like 'Oh, he's really keen to nut this out'."

The pair understand one another, not just because they love heading out to gigs together, but because they both work in industries focused on the public, shiny side, but with a somewhat hidden tough underbelly.

"My relationship to football is a lot different than when I was 18, 20 years old. It took me a little bit, but I'm very comfortable with it, where I can do what's required, then when I leave the footy club, I try to just completely escape," Pearce explained.

"And now, being able to immerse myself in music a little bit more… because my life is often very, very busy, and I'm always trying to find the right balance between everything that's going on. And adding this has really helped with that."

Although Pearce and Hustwaite don't want to lean too far into the footy side of things, the crossover between the worlds of sport and music are clear, and the ability to strip things back to make them closer to that community sporting environment has been appealing.

"I've been able to find a nice balance between the two, and relationship between the two… it's always nice (when) the people that I meet that are sports fans, football, or cricket or whatever, we have this built connection, and it often comes from them wanting to be a sports person and me, even though I don't play an instrument, I would love to be a rock star," Pearce said.

"Because we get to see the great, shiny, finished product of what each of our careers are, and we don't know the ins and outs and the harder stuff, and I've always found those conversations really interesting."

Hence the name Fan to Fan, not just referring to one another, but to their relationship with guests as well.

"'Moose' can just be a music fan, and for someone like Paul Kelly, he was talking about Andrew McLeod, to see him as a fan," Hustwaite said.

"I also think a lot about the audience that will be listening to this, and the people who will be coming from the football world to hear 'Moose', and hopefully to open them up to more music and to open themselves up to how music can make you feel and the emotional side, and when we do touch on how masculine that environment is, I feel like that audience could really benefit from these kinds of conversations."

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And when it comes to people they hope to get on the podcast one day? Well, Fremantle No.1 ticket holder Kevin Parker is the obvious one ("We just need our schedules to line up"), and Gang Of Youths frontman Dave Le'aupepe is high on Pearce's list.

"I would f***ing love that," Pearce said.