At the crossroads of sports, data and strategy

But Christos’ journey into the AFL didn’t begin with a clear blueprint. A passionate sportsman with a natural curiosity for numbers, his pathway took shape through exploration, recalibration and a willingness to back his interests, something he says was always encouraged during his time at Trinity.

After graduating from Trinity, he initially pursued Natural Sciences, only to realise within weeks that it wasn’t the right fit. A transfer to Monash University to complete a Bachelor of Commerce brought him back to a consistent theme: a fascination with numbers.

A graduate role in finance at Telstra followed next. While the traditional corporate world provided a strong commercial foundation and sharpened his technical skills, it didn’t fully capture Christos’ passion. “The corporate path wasn’t quite where my heart was,” he admits, “although the passion for data remained.”

So, when the opportunity arose to be seconded into Telstra’s Analytics Team, Christos embraced it. To help with the transition to analytics, outside of work Christos began practising coding using publicly available sporting datasets.

“After summoning up the courage to post a few of the resulting visuals on social media (not my best work in hindsight), within six months, I received an offer to do some consulting with an AFL club, alongside my day job,” he says.

This side hustle soon led Christos to Essendon Football Club, where he now works at the crossroads of sport, data and strategy.

When thinking about his journey, Christos reflects, “Trinity provides an incredible array of opportunities for students to explore, whether it be on the sporting field, in the classroom or within the arts. That variety creates space for students to find their passion. Embracing that spirit of exploration after graduation meant that while it didn’t take shape immediately, I was eventually able to find the intersection of vocation and passion and turn it into a career.”

His advice to current students is simple: trust your ability and take action. “If you are passionate about a field, sport or otherwise, don’t be afraid to back yourself. The only barrier to entry is your initiative and imagination. Write a blog, send a LinkedIn message, or learn a new skill.

Take time to identify what your field values and seek out people already working in it. The OTG community is a fantastic place to start. The network is broad and alumni are more than willing to provide a few pointers or grab a coffee.”