Former Essendon player Brayden Ham reflects on his decision to step down from Geelong VFL and his AFL career

Brayden Ham played the first two games of the VFL season then decided it wasn’t for him. The former Essendon player reflects on the challenges he has faced since being delisted.

Brayden Ham opens up on stepping down from Geelong VFL.

Brayden Ham had lost his passion for footy after an unfortunate 18 months.

Having his AFL dreams dashed by Essendon at the end of 2022, the Torquay product returned to Geelong to play with the Cats’ VFL side.

Four games into life as a VFL footballer, the 25-year-old suffered a serious hamstring injury which sidelined him for the next six matches.

While he had some good games at the back-end of the season, he noticed he had lost some of his trademark speed.

“I sort of felt like I was on one leg a bit, just haven’t got my burst back from when I was at my peak,” Ham said.

“I’ve probably never missed a game of footy in my life before last year, so it was something pretty new to me and it was a bit frustrating sitting on the sidelines and watching the boys go about it and I just had to sit back and just, being pissed just watching.”

Despite a strong pre-season in the eyes of VFL coach Mark Corrigan, Ham still didn’t feel like that burst was back.

And every game he felt he didn’t deliver would consume him.

Brayden Ham was delisted from Essendon at the end of 2022. Picture: Michael Klein

The standard of VFL football is difficult enough outside a full-time environment with work to deal with. In Ham’s case that was a new career path in insurance.

Ham played the first two games for the Cats in 2024 before sitting down with Corrigan and their team manager.

With their support, Ham came to the decision to step down from his VFL duties and return to his interchange club St Mary’s, where he won an under-18s premiership.

“That’s what I think I needed, I think I was getting a bit too overwhelmed with work and still dwelling on every game I played in the VFL. If I had a rough game it would affect my whole week and I didn’t think I was in the sort of stage to be around that for the next little while,” Ham said.

“So just trying to find my feet a bit in the outside world and hopefully can build on that.

“I just didn’t think I was up to the VFL at the start of the year, I still didn’t have that burst back and wasn’t enjoying it as much as I probably should have so I thought I’d come back and get some confidence and I’m enjoying it so far.

“I haven’t shut the doors on the VFL at all is what I’ve said. If I sort of get that fire back and want to get back onto an AFL list they (Geelong VFL) are obviously willing to let me back in and I’m certainly open to that as well.”

He has flourished in his two games for the Saints this season, averaging 30.5 disposals and slotting three goals.

But most importantly, he is starting to regain his love for footy in a more relaxed environment.

“Obviously I grew up playing here from under-16s onwards, all my school mates have been here and I’ve got my fondest junior memories here and after winning a colts flag and coming back to play with school mates that I haven’t had the opportunity to even watch them, let alone play, beside them has been pretty cool the last couple of weeks,” Ham said.

“The likes of Harvey Ryan and Harry McMahon who are two of my closest school mates and obviously some older guys as well who I played juniors with and it’s been cool to come back and have a run around with them, for sure.”

Brayden Ham in action for St Mary's. Picture: Rusty's Sports Shots

REGRETS

Ham has done plenty of soul-searching since his AFL career ended.

The lightly-framed playmaker became a senior regular in 2021, playing 19 games, but was shown the door 12 months later despite playing 11 matches in the 2022 season.

His four seasons and 45 senior games went by in a blink of an eye for Ham.

While he thoroughly enjoyed his time at The Hanger, there were tinges of regret when he looked back on his time in the system.

“For my own individual experience four years sort of flew by – as they say when you come through the doors it goes by quick. Unfortunately it did for me, it was bloody good fun and I enjoyed every minute of it and I would love to go back if I had the chance, but you obviously come with a few regrets once you actually leave. You’re sort of uming and ahing, what you could have done better.

“You never leave anything out there but there’s just little pieces where you think, ‘maybe I could have done an extra session’. You can’t do anything about it, you can’t help but think little things like that – I’m one of those people that sort of dwell on things for a little bit.

“I probably had a good bit of reflection over the last sort of year and a half and some of my closest mates are still playing and it is cool to watch them every week and hoping they can go further on in finals.”

Brayden Ham celebrates a goal in 2021. Picture: Michael Klein

THE FUTURE

Ham is keeping an open-mind.

He hasn’t ruled out returning to the VFL and pursuing the ultimate goal that most state league players are chasing: an AFL lifeline.

“Selfishly, that’s probably what most VFL guys are sort of looking to get out of themselves. It is obviously a team at the end of the day but individually everyone is sort of aspiring to go to that one level up and I sort of reached a level this year where it was probably getting away from me a little bit,” Ham said.

His time in the GFNL – however long that may be – will help give Ham the clarity he needs to decide where he wants to go with his footy and, more broadly, his life.

Ham shoots on goal. Picture: Michael Klein

“It is just trying to get that balance now and just see if I’ve got that spark to have a genuine crack because it is pretty hard trying to get yourself right for VFL footy while you’re still full time working as well, it’s a tough gig but I’m just trying to ply my trade and see how I go,” Ham.

“Probably just needed to get that confidence back up and try and learn a couple of different positions and whatnot to see where I’m seriously at. As I said I haven’t really closed the door on anything, I’m just sort of letting it go week by week.

“That’s not talking just this year, it might be for next year as well. We’ll wait and see.

Until then, he will be doing his utmost to ensure St Mary’s avenges its disappointing preliminary final exit.

“I’ve grown up with a lot of these guys and I know what they’re all like, so you can sense they were not a fan of what happened last year and they are willing to get back to work,” Ham said.

“Obviously it has started pretty well so hopefully the lads can get to work and go a step further.”

Originally published as Former Essendon player Brayden Ham reflects on his decision to step down from Geelong VFL and his AFL career