Meet our newest ambassador, Justin Burt — a Northern Beaches local who has grown up living and breathing rugby league through the Manly Sea Eagles pathway. From his early days with the Narrabeen Sharks through to the U16s, U18s, and U21s programs, Justin has dedicated himself to the game at every level. He's currently playing Ron Massey Cup with Manly Leagues, where last season he was named Player of the Match in the Sydney Shield Grand Final — a premiership victory that epitomised everything he stands for in the sport.

But Justin's impact goes well beyond the field. Through his work with Play Performance, he's deeply invested in developing the next generation of athletes on the Northern Beaches, working closely with Manly to provide access to high-level coaching, recovery, rehab, and performance resources. It's that same commitment to long-term athlete development that brought him to PainPod — first as a customer during his own ACL recovery, and now as a proud ambassador. We're thrilled to welcome Justin to the team.

Justin, tell us about your background and the journey that's brought you to where you are today?

I was born and raised on the Northern Beaches and have come through the Manly Sea Eagles pathway system, playing through the U16s, U18s, and U21s programs. I'm currently playing Ron Massey Cup and part of the club's leadership group, which has been a valuable part of my development both on and off the field. Alongside playing, I'm heavily involved in the high-performance space through Play Performance, where we work closely with Manly to help develop and support local talent. The goal has always been bigger than just my own ambitions or what happens on the field — it's about creating an environment where the next generation of athletes have access to high-level coaching, recovery, rehab, and performance resources.

What first drew you to rugby league, and what keeps you coming back to it?

What first drew me to rugby league was the people and the environment around it. The players, coaches, teammates, and the strong sense of community that comes with the game, especially growing up on the Northern Beaches. From a young age, it felt like more than just a sport; it was something that brought people together and created lifelong relationships and opportunities. What keeps me coming back is the potential the game has to positively impact the next generation. I'm really passionate about building genuine development pathways and feeder systems that help create and support homegrown talent. Seeing stories like the Turbo brothers come through the local system and inspire younger athletes shows how powerful that connection between community and high performance can be.

How long have you been playing, and how has your game evolved over that time?

I've been playing rugby league since I was 12 years old, starting with the Narrabeen Sharks on the Northern Beaches. Over that time, I've seen the game evolve massively, especially from a high-performance perspective. As I've gotten towards the back end of my playing career, one of the biggest changes I've noticed is that it's no longer enough to just be a talented footballer. The modern game now demands a combination of both high-level athleticism and rugby league skill and IQ. As the speed and intensity of the game continues to increase, the physical demands are becoming much greater, and players who aren't adapting are getting left behind. For me, success now comes from integrating every part of performance: skills, strength & conditioning, speed & agility, recovery, and overall athlete preparation. But beyond all of that, the biggest challenge is bringing those individual qualities together within a strong team environment. Rugby league is never an individual sport, and no one achieves success alone. Having alignment right across a club, from management and coaching staff through to trainers and players, is probably the most complex and important part of building a successful high-performance environment, and it's something we're continuing to work towards every day.

How do you balance playing, training, and the rest of life?

To be honest, balancing playing, training, work, and life can be really challenging at times. At the semi-professional level, you don't have the full-time salary or luxury of being able to dedicate every hour of the day purely to football, so there's definitely a lot of sacrifice involved behind the scenes. But I think if you asked most players at this level, they'd tell you the same thing — we do it because we genuinely love the game. There's something special about running out onto the field with a group of teammates you care about, representing a club and community that means so much to you. Growing up on the Northern Beaches, sitting on the hill at 4 Pines Park as an 8-year-old supporting Manly, and then eventually getting the opportunity to wear that jersey and run out onto the same field yourself — that feeling is hard to put into words. Moments like that make the sacrifices worth it, and they're what keep you motivated through the hard work and balancing act that comes with the sport.

You're currently working through a knee injury — what has that recovery journey looked like, and how are you managing it?

This current knee injury has actually been a revision of my previous ACL reconstruction, so mentally and emotionally it was a really challenging experience at first. The context around how it happened, and what it had cost me in me going up a grade, as well as time I'd lose was probably the hardest part to process. Heading into surgery, I believed I would need a completely new patella graft and was preparing myself for another long 12-month recovery process. However, once I came out of surgery, the outcome was much more positive than expected. What was originally thought to be a near ACL rupture alongside major MCL and meniscus damage had actually healed far better than anticipated. My MCL and meniscus had recovered well, and my ACL graft was still around 70% intact, enough to avoid a full reconstruction. I genuinely believe the years of consistent training, strength work, and ongoing rehab since my original ACL rupture seven years ago played a major role in putting me in that position. It reinforced to me how important long-term physical preparation and resilience really are.

You came to PainPod as a customer before becoming an ambassador — what was that experience like and what made you want to get involved?

I first came across PainPod during my ACL rehab and recovery process, while looking for effective ways to manage pain, improve muscle activation, and support recovery day-to-day. It quickly became something I consistently used throughout rehab and training because of how practical and effective it was. That experience made me want to get involved further, because I only align with products I genuinely use, trust, and believe add real value to athlete recovery and performance.

Which PainPod product has become a go-to for you, and how do you use it?

The PainPod 3 has definitely become my go-to. As both an athlete and coach working in high-performance sport, I use it daily across recovery, rehab, and performance preparation. Personally, it's been a huge part of my ACL rehab process for quad activation, pain management, circulation, and recovery between sessions. Within the gym environment, I also use it with athletes for muscle recovery, activation work, and managing soreness and tightness during high training loads. What I like most is how versatile it is. Whether it's preparing athletes before training, accelerating recovery post-session, or supporting return-to-play rehab, it integrates really naturally into a high-performance environment.

What are the keys to success for anyone who wants to follow a similar path in the sport?

I think one of the biggest keys to success is understanding that development is a long-term process. Talent isn't enough to make it anymore — there's too much competition. The need for consistency, discipline, and the willingness to keep improving every day are what separate athletes over time. Another major factor is surrounding yourself with the right environment and people — coaches, teammates, mentors, and support staff who genuinely care about your development both as an athlete and a person. High performance isn't just about training hard; it's about integrating recovery, preparation, mindset, nutrition, and lifestyle together consistently. I also think resilience is huge. Injuries, setbacks, and tough periods are part of the sport. So many athletes give up just before they are about to get what they always wanted, and I refuse to be that.

What's your proudest career highlight so far?

One of my proudest career moments so far was being part of Manly Leagues' 2025 Sydney Shield Grand Final victory. It was an incredibly special experience to contribute to a premiership-winning team in such a high-pressure environment, especially considering the work, sacrifice, and commitment that goes into an entire season. Personally, it was rewarding to play an important role throughout the game and contribute in key moments, which ultimately led to being recognised as Player of the Match in the Grand Final. At the same time, there were so many others equally deserving of that recognition, including players who unfortunately couldn't take the field that day but played a huge role throughout the season. What made that team special was the culture and selflessness within the group. We had players who could step into any role and do their job without hesitation, and that's what creates a truly great team environment. Everyone invested in the standards, culture, and success of the group in their own way. Experiences like that reinforce why I'm so passionate about high-performance sport and athlete development, and they continue to shape the way I approach coaching, recovery, and performance today.

What advice would you give your younger self?

I'd probably tell my younger self: stay true to who you are. Don't compromise your individuality as that could be your difference on the field. Early on, it's easy to focus purely on outcomes and compare yourself to others, but long-term success in sport comes from consistency, patience, and continuing to improve every day. I'd also remind myself to enjoy the journey more. Some of the toughest periods, setbacks, and injuries end up teaching you the most about resilience, discipline, and who you are as a person. Most importantly, I'd say to invest in the people and environments around you. The right coaches, teammates, mentors, and support systems can have a massive impact not just on your sporting career, but on your growth outside of sport as well.