Since I can remember, I’ve always wanted to be in the AFL industry. From the amateur leagues in WA to playing for Australia in South Africa – no matter what it was, if it included a footy, I was there.

As I grew older, I thought this dream would involve me running onto the ‘G’ every week and kicking the footy to a crowd of roaring fans. But like a lot of things in life, my dream didn’t work out as planned. After an unfortunate injury, I realised my dream of playing AFL football wasn’t going to happen and I would have to pivot and focus on what my career would be, and where it would take me. 

As a proud Whadjuk Noongar man, my culture has always been front and centre in my life. It is something I am immensely proud of and feel a sense of belonging to. 

Trying to pivot to a whole new career is challenging, but I knew that I simply wanted to help mob. I think this stemmed from wanting to help my Nan with access to medical care when this wasn’t always possible for her. But even after trying, the medical industry just wasn’t for me. 

So, I began the start of my corporate career at Wesfarmers in Aboriginal Affairs. I have been fortunate enough to meet, work and collaborate with a number of inspiring people throughout my corporate career to date, which led me to take opportunities at some of Australia’s largest corporate organisations including Kmart, Target and now, Bunnings, as part of their Aboriginal Affairs teams. 

Being a trusted voice on Aboriginal Affairs and able to play a role in supporting mob through employment, supplier or community engagement opportunities has been extremely rewarding. 

My career has led me to also be a part of Aboriginal organisations making great change within the community – including the First People’s Assembly of Victoria, and 15 Times Better. 

In late 2019, I moved to Melbourne, ‘the home of footy’, from Perth and the desire to work in the AFL industry was stronger than ever. I was inspired to combine my love of the AFL with the work I was doing in the community with mob and in corporate Australia. The love of footy was always there, and I couldn’t deny the urge to get involved in the industry again, even if it wasn’t how I originally thought I would be. 

I began speaking to mob and ex-AFL players on their experiences within the industry. But amongst the great stories we’ve come to know and love, unfortunately, a common theme also started to emerge – that Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander players generally felt less supported in the lead up to being drafted, during and after their playing days from their management. 

Well, that was it. The inspiration from hearing mob in the AFL, good and bad, inspired me to see how I could support mob to have better experiences within this great game of ours. 

The answer? Becoming a Player Agent. In September 2021, I became an Accredited Agent for the AFL and AFLW and my business, Djinda Sports, was started.

Djinda in Noongar language means star, and I felt a connection to it when naming the business as ultimately my goal for all athletes is that they feel empowered to be extraordinary on and off the field – to be stars for their generation.

Djinda Sports, has a simple yet significant mission – to create generational impact for our athletes and their communities. How? By creating a culturally safe environment for its athletes to thrive on and off the field. We work closely with athletes to support them with the day-to-day requirements of playing sport at an elite level and with their off-field passions, whether that be in education, business or within the community.

To my knowledge, Djinda Sports is the first and only Aboriginal-owned and operated business in the AFL and AFLW sports management space – something I am immensely proud of.

Since starting the business in 2021, it has been an incredible journey full of ups and downs, and lots of moments of learning along the way. In just three years, we’ve signed a total of 14 athletes across varying levels of AFL and AFLW, with 9 of those being Aboriginal players.

We have three AFLW athletes, one VFL athlete, three VFLW athletes, four Under 18 Coates League players, one AFLW train on and two former VFL and VFLW athletes. 

With each player signing, I become even more proud of the work I’m able to do, with my athletes putting their trust in me to help them bring their playing ambitions to life. 

There have been many highlights during my three years on this incredible journey, but two that stand out are:

1. The phone call to one of my AFLW players to tell her that her trade was completed, and we got her a 2-year contract extension;
2. The opportunity to be in Bendigo with one of my AFLW players for her draft night with her friends and family.

The opportunity to run my own business in a culturally safe way for athletes and allow them to get the very best out of themselves is one of the key reasons why I wanted to be a Player Agent. Connecting culture and footy together isn’t something new – in fact, we’ve seen it for years. Being able to play a small part of that connection in the work that I do is humbling and is the reason Djinda Sports is here. 

I’ve always felt that football is so much bigger than kicking a footy on an oval, and the work that I get to do with these players, and the relationships we’ve been able to build together, is symbolic of this too. The industry is a competitive one, and as a young Aboriginal Founder and CEO, it has presented its challenges, but it has been one of the best experiences of my life. 

As we close out our third year of operation, I look ahead to the future with excitement. Djinda Sports will continue to build, grow and disrupt the industry - not only through the players we represent, but by being a voice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander athletes within the industry and beyond. Our mission to create generational change for our athletes and their communities can’t happen by just us alone – it takes collaboration and having a seat at the table. 

So, our aim is to continue to focus on our mission, and hopefully one day we’ll be the biggest sports management company in Australia, but more importantly, be the number one choice for any Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander athlete. 

You can connect with Djinda Sports via Instagram, or Jayden via LinkedIn.