Just 18 months ago, Kolar was playing in the twos with St Mary's juniors in the north-eastern suburbs of Melbourne. He had always preferred soccer. And if it wasn't for a few high school mates persuading him to have a kick at lunch, the idea of making the switch to footy would have never crossed his mind.
"For my first year of footy, I still prioritised soccer. I'd go to all of my soccer games and if I had time, I'd also play footy. The year after it was the other way around and I'd prioritise footy. After that, I decided I enjoyed the atmosphere and the competitiveness of footy a bit more," Kolar said.
"I think it suited my attributes a bit more than soccer. I was a centre-back and I was always a bit of a sweeper. That helped me with footy, because when you're playing centre-back you can really see the whole game. It's just easier to learn the game from the back. That learning curve in soccer has definitely helped my footy."