Fledgling superannuation start-up Superhero will bankroll Hawthorn and Sydney AFL clubs as a major sponsor for the next three years, signing the lucrative deals even as the prudential watchdog warns funds over such spending.

It marks the start of an aggressive growth strategy for the $2.7 billion investment and super platform after a failed buyout in 2022 as it pushes to cash in on the wave of young investors wanting to save money by managing their own stock trades and the rivers of gold of mandatory superannuation.