ROOKIE GIANT MILKS IT FOR ALL HE’S WORTH
GREATER Western Sydney rookie Jason Gillbee has lifted the lid on his milk obsession after his stunning intake of the dairy drink was revealed.
Gillbee sent the internet into a spin this week after it emerged during a pre-season bonding exercise that the first-year Giant had swapped his water intake with milk three years ago.
Always a lover of the cold white beverage, Gillbee revealed he made the switch to drinking dairy almost exclusively after his milk cravings got the better of him.
“Me and my younger brother, we have always drunk a lot of milk but it was probably about three years ago that I just (decided I) preferred it over water and I would get thirsty and I would just crave milk instead of water to rehydrate me,” Gillbee said. “I don’t know. I just preferred the taste, I feel like water is pretty boring so I just preferred the taste of milk instead of water.”
The 18-year-old continues to drink milk all day long – the only exception now being when he is on the training track over summer.
But as soon as Gillbee comes off the track – and when he is working out in the gym – the first thing he reaches for is a glass of milk.
“On the track and during training, I still drink water, but I could easily stomach milk out there,” Gillbee said.
“If it could stay cold out there I would probably drink milk, but just because it gets a bit warm, I have to drink water. But I will come off the track and then I will have a glass of milk or during gym I will have a glass of milk …. and I don’t drink water at home.”
Gillbee’s level of milk consumption initially shocked Giants’ nutritionist Melissa Juergens and he has been encouraged to increase his water intake.
“She didn’t really believe it at the start,” Gillbee said. “They are very big on the hydration thing and drinking water and carrying water bottles around.”
Gillbee shares a house with Giants’ teammates Aaron Cadman and Max Gruzewski and the midfielder estimated the household milk consumption – the bulk of which was his own – was upwards of 10L a week.
But he admitted his milk guzzling was sometimes an annoyance to his housemates.
“The boys just have their cereal and I have the rest of it,” Gillbee said.
“There have been a few complaints.”