MOST Jets players bypass the news section of the paper and go straight to the sport. Some brush it altogether, reluctant to take their eyes, let alone fingers, off the FIFA 10 game on their PlayStation Portable.
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When it invariably lands in the lap of Adam D'Apuzzo, after a customary glance at the back page, he delves deep into the finance section - unknown territory for most of his teammates.
D'Apuzzo is not your stereotypical professional soccer player. Far from it.
He is just as adept at analysing the All Ordinaries as he is opposition playing formations.
The 23-year-old has a year left of a commerce degree, majoring in finance and accounting, at the University of NSW.
He was also studying law, but has put that on the backburner for now.
"I like to read the business section," D'Apuzzo said.
"Kaz [Patafta] and I both enjoy it. He is into CFD [Contracts For Difference] trading, so we look at a bit of that with currencies.
"I am in the share market a little bit so I like to read up on it.
"I don't exactly have enough time to do it properly. I'm laying the foundations now and hopefully one day I can make some money."
D'Apuzzo's life could easily have gone in a different direction.
Outside of football, most of his friends are forging successful high-end careers in the corporate world.
His long-time girlfriend Cara Sargo works as a chartered accountant with Ernst & Young.
"I have a couple of friends in medicine and another at Goldman Sachs so he is flying with a finance company," D'Apuzzo said.
"It is good grounding. Sometimes in football you lose sight of what everyone else is doing and a bit of reality.
"They bring me back to earth and also remind me I have a bit to go with my studies. There are occasions when I think what might have been, but I can't complain."
Indeed, most would cherish the opportunity D'Apuzzo has been presented.
In his fifth year at the Jets, the former Sydneysider has played 83 A-League games, won a championship, competed in the Asian Champions League, represented Australia at under-23 level 10 times and attended one senior national team camp. And he is not done yet.
"Soccer is my first passion," he said.
"When I am sitting studying, I think I'd rather be out kicking a ball on a training paddock.
"The way I am, I go full bore at both. There is no half measures with anything.
"But I know I have that [degree] as my back-up.
"I do not want to finish soccer and then be in limbo for a couple of years. I want to go bang straight from one into another."
There is a position waiting for D'Apuzzo in the family empire - a highly successful coach line with operations across the state.
His younger brother and former Central Coast Mariner, David, who is also studying law and commerce, has returned to the family business.
"He had a couple of problems with his knees," D'Apuzzo said.
"He will get that right and try and get another club.
"We are lucky that my older brother Anthony and sister Dearna are taking over the business.
"There has never been any pressure on myself or David. My parents have always been supportive of my soccer.
"Every now and then if I have a bad game Dad will joke with me and say 'what, do you want to work in the business now'. "
The leap into corporate life is one D'Apuzzo doesn't intend to make for some time.
"As long as I'm in good form and in demand I don't have to worry about it too much," he said.
D'Apuzzo, after initially wanting to head overseas, signed a one-year extension with the Jets in January.
"I had passport issues," he revealed.
"The countries I wanted to go to weren't available to me, and the countries that were, I was not comfortable living in.
"I thought I would be better off having another year in the A-League, improve my game and see where it takes me.
"I'm one of the senior players now.
"I have lived most of my adulthood here. It is a real home to me and has a soft spot in my heart."
A new campaign has also brought a new responsibility, albeit one not totally foreign.
After playing predominantly in midfield last season, D'Apuzzo was employed as a left back in the season opener against Adelaide United.
Not only did he do a solid job at halting the Reds raids down the Jets left flank, he went close to scoring the match-winner.
"I'm used to the ball coming at my feet," he said.
"Now I have to make runs for it. I have had to change that aspect of my game but I'm getting used to it.
"We did a lot of practice on it in the pre-season. It was good to put that practice to good use in the game.
"It came off a couple of times against Adelaide, hopefully I can keep it going."
In truth, Jets coach Branko Culina is not blessed for choice at left back.
D'Apuzzo is the only natural left-footer on the roster. The versatile Ruben Zadkovich has experience on that flank, same too with Nikolai Topor-Stanley but, at this stage both are better served in other areas.
"There are different demands on our fullbacks this year," Culina said.
"We expect them to play a more attacking role - better crossing, better combinations out wide and better at beating players on their own.
"Adam is, like all of us, a work in progress."
Aside from his on-field education, Culina is happy for D'Apuzzo to immerse himself in books off it.
"I think it is a wonderful thing for players to have other interests," he said.
"It's only us stupid coaches who are football 24-7.
"If you are capable of switching off and doing that I think it is a great way to relax."
