JUSTIN WESTHOFF watched eagerly as Port Adelaide’s younger players returned for pre-season training last week and didn’t feel an ounce of regret about his decision to retire.

The 34-year-old ended his time in the AFL after 280 games in 14 years at the end of the 2020 season.

A father of four and co-founder of sustainable food business Forage Supply Co., Westhoff has found plenty to keep him busy since stepping away.

“It feels like I’m busier now than I was before to be honest,” he joked to portadelaidefc.com.au.

“It’s a bit of home life, spending a bit more time with the kids, catching up on a few things around the house and then I’ve still been busy with my business at Forage.

“I’ve been trying to explore a few things outside of what I’ve been doing but it’s been a nice relaxing time to sit back and enjoy where my life is at the moment.”

While he is certainly enjoying not having to go through another pre-season of hard running, Westhoff admits it still has not hit him properly that his football career is over.

“I still feel more than happy that I don’t have to come back and do another pre-season – that’s a thing I won’t miss at all,” he said.

“It’ll probably only be when the older guys come back next year and when they start playing games that it’ll sink in a little bit, but at the moment I’m loving the change of pace.

“Not having to worry about keeping fit and what you eat and drink has been really good.

“I used to get the guilts and worry about not doing the right thing if I had a few beers or something so it’s been nice to not get the guilts.”

But Westhoff may not have completely escaped pre-season training if the lure of winning a premiership with family ends up being strong enough.

His father Danny Westhoff is president of the Tanunda Football Club and his brothers Leigh and Matthew play there.

“My two brothers are out there and Dad has been heavily involved in the club out at Tanunda for the last two or three years as president so the conversation has been had,” Westhoff said.

“Sam Colquhoun, who used to play for us at Port, is coaching there next year so if I was ever to do it, it would be next year.

“It’s pretty likely I will play there but we’re just lining up the ducks. I just want to play in a premiership, that’s what I want.

“I really wouldn’t mind playing a few games with my brothers so that’s what I’d be looking to do.”

As for Forage, Westhoff and co-founder Scott Rogasch continue to grow the business.

A range of wines is being released, including a limited edition “Beard” series, which celebrates Westhoff’s career.

“We’ve just released our 2020 vintage wine range and we have a new “Beard series” Shiraz,” Westhoff explained.

“It’s about celebrating my career so we’ve made 280 bottles because I played 280 games, it’ll be signed by me with a little message in each bottle as a thank you for the people who have supported me over time.”

The pair have also launched Forage BUILT, which is focussing on providing sustainable housing solutions for homeless people.

“It’s the end game for us at Forage, looking at a housing solution here in S.A. regarding homelessness,” Westhoff said proudly of his latest venture.

“It’s essentially a tiny house for one person where we can get people off the streets and provide a safer, more community focussed housing project to help people navigate homelessness.

“We’ve just created our first prototype and we’re looking to donate that back to the Hutt Street Centre next year.

“We’ll launch it properly in the next six months.”

Forage BUILT has spoken the city council and other stakeholders including Premier Steven Marshall about the project, and is now looking for land in the CBD to demonstrate how the pods could help ease the issue of homelessness.

“They’re fully transportable so we can move them around and provide a housing solution where there hasn’t been one in the past,” Westhoff said.

“We’re looking at utilising undeveloped land, so if a developer has say a carpark in the city that they can’t build on for two or three years, we can bring these in, up to seven or eight all together.

“We’d be looking to implement some supports like a social worker and some people to talk to that can help those people get back on their feet.

“The housing itself won’t fix homelessness, the community will.”