VFL 2024: Brayden Crossley loving life on and off the field with Southport Sharks

There’s far more to Southport’s burly VFL ruckman than his hulking frame. Inside Brayden Crossley’s pursuit of happiness after AFL heartbreak.

Southport Sharks player Brayden Crossley in action against Werribee. Picture: Highflyer Images.

Keen VFL watchers have become accustomed to the thick-moustached and burly Southport ruck Brayden Crossley throwing his weight around every week.

But there’s far more to the Sharks co-captain than his hulking frame.

Having been delisted from the AFL after just two seasons, Crossley has since found contentment – an emotion many in his position can struggle to grasp – from an unlikely source: disability support work.

“As soon as I started I just absolutely loved it,” Crossley said.

“It’s such an amazing gig to be able to give back to the community and people.

“Helping them be apart of the community and help their growth in life is something that’s really cool.”

Southport Sharks player Brayden Crossley. Picture: Graham Denholm/AFL Photos.

The 24-year-old works for Being Mentors, and his career with the business began after he reached out to the former Michael Gugliotta, who he knew from his time at the Suns and is the CEO and founder.

Crossley has since been a key figure in Southport establishing a relationship with Being Mentors, and a number of Sharks players have worked in the disability support space as a result.

Long before he became one of the VFL’s premier rucks, who this year was selected to represent the league’s representative side, Crossley was a fringe AFL battler with the Suns who managed 10 games before he was cut from the list at the end of 2019.

Crossley nominated for the AFL’s mid-season draft last year in a bid to return to the top flight, but is now in no hurry.

Brayden Crossley represented the VFL representative side in the state game against the SANFL earlier this year. Picture: SANFL Image/David Mariuz.

“I wouldn’t say I’m working towards (returning to AFL), if an opportunity came I’d be pumped and taking it with both hands,” Crossley said.

“I’m pretty content with life outside of footy at the moment, which is something that’s pretty hard to find for a lot of people that come off a list.”

“If it doesn’t fall my way I’m content either way … I’ve got a job that I absolutely love.”

Despite his unsuccessful early foray into the AFL, Crossley is grateful for the shaping role it played in who he is today.

“It can be quite hard when you’re a young guy trying to find you way and the club’s not stable, but that’s the kind of stuff that makes you the person you become,” he said.

Southport Sharks player Brayden Crossley flying high in a ruck contest. Picture: Highflyer Images.

“Although it wasn’t an ideal AFL career it certainly contributed to the person that I am today and I’m thankful to the club for giving me that.”

Crossley was also handed a one-year ban after he was delisted, having returned a positive test for cocaine on a NEAFL match day with the Suns.

“It was a very tough year, I was lucky that six to eight months of that was when Covid started to kick off so I didn’t miss too much football as a whole,” he said.

“When it started I wasn’t able to train with any of the boys, I had to do my own sessions which was certainly a telling time. I definitely grew a lot and learned and had to be pretty mentality resilient to get through that.

“Although I wouldn’t wish it upon anyone, at least there’s stuff you can learn out of it and it makes you grow and a develop as a human.”

With that challenging time now a distant memory, Crossley is establishing a special legacy at the Sharks, where his father Troy is a multiple premiership-winner and hall-of-famer.

Crossley famously followed in Troy’s footsteps last year when he won the club’s coveted Wally Fankhauser Memorial Trophy and they became the first father-son duo to do so.

“It was something really cool and really special to do with dad,” he said, while he recalled how his old man brought him on stage as a baby after a premiership in 1999.

“To be able to look back on those memories now and start to create some myself has been really awesome.

“Southport’s a very successful club, very proud of its history.”

Originally published as VFL 2024: Brayden Crossley loving life on and off the field with Southport Sharks