It was mid last year. Chisholm had been dumped from the Wallabies squad, was playing club rugby in Sydney and was seemingly at a crossroads in his career.But a meeting with ACT Brumbies coaches Andy Friend and Owen Finegan who both gave blunt assessments on where they believed Chisholm was at in his career and the 27-year-old was back.
Back into form. Back into the Wallabies squad. And he's hoping back into the mantle of Australian rugby's premier lock.
''The chat I had with those guys, I admit it hurts, for sure because it was blunt, real blunt, especially with Owen and his assessment,'' Chisholm said.
''I finished playing with Owen a few years ago but it's reassuring he can be so honest and up front about things like that. There was no sugar-coating, trust me.
''I had to take it on the chin and work up from there.
''I'd like to think I've stepped up as I needed to.''
The major issue Friend and Finegan had with Chisholm, who has been a regular in the Brumbies' starting side the past two seasons, was linked to his role on the field.
Chisholm wanted to be and at the time was a ball-running lock.His new coaches wanted less running with the ball and more physical, gritty work at the breakdown.
Despite not totally agreeing with his coaches' views, Chisholm made the required alterations to his game and the results have been evident.
''I got back into the Wallabies squad so that was a good start,'' Chisholm laughed.
''I initially saw myself as a ball-running forward but they saw things differently.
''Every chance I get I put my hand up to run the ball I don't shy away from that but they wanted me to have more emphasis on winning the breakdown, which I think I've done.
''Friend praised Chisholm on his attitude and approach following what he described as a ''fairly in-depth'' meeting.
The coach had long been a fan of Chisholm's but wasn't convinced he was playing the correct role of a lock.
''I asked him what he thought a second-rower should be doing,'' Friend said.
''We were similar in the fact he's got to win his scrum and lineout but a little dissimilar that he wanted to run the football, as I'd much prefer a second-rower to be cleaning rucks out.
''To his credit he changed his style, he got in and did the harder stuff.''That doesn't mean he can't run with the footy you still saw him run an 80m try in against Wales so if he's going into a ruck and the ball pops up, by all means run but let's use his bulk and use his physicality and make himself legally damage opposition.