Latest news with #ChangkuothJiath
Daily Mail
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Footy star Changkuoth Jiath reveals he would have either died or became a child soldier if it wasn't for his parents
Hawthorn defender Changkuoth Jiath has opened up about his turbulent childhood in Africa, revealing that he would have either died or became a child soldier if it wasn't for his parents. Before he was born, the footy star's mum and dad fled South Sudan on foot as a violent civil war erupted around them. They walked frantically for a week in search of safety and a better future, with no idea of where they would end up. Jiath, known as 'CJ', was born in an Ethiopian refugee camp and would go on to spend his next six years there, waiting to be accepted by a country. They eventually resettled in Australia in 2011, with the family moving to Dandenong on Melbourne's eastern outskirts among a sizeable South Sudanese community. 'This world that is happening in Sudan is so different to Ethiopia, but then also, the refugee camp in Ethiopia is so different to Australia. It's three different worlds,' Jiath said on Channel 7's Unfiltered. 'It's not always guaranteed that you're going to live if you flee Sudan, because most of the time, you don't know where you're going. 'You're trying to find somewhere to survive and get away from what's happening there. 'It's definitely not always a guarantee you'll live.' Jiath says he owes his parents everything for making the decision to leave. 'If my parents stayed in Sudan, I wouldn't be here today. It's either you become a soldier, or you die, that's it,' he said. 'To have the Australian Government grant us as refugees was a special day for us.' '... I want to celebrate how fortunate I have it here in Australia and how fortunate we are as a family.' Sport became a big part of the youngsters life and he soon found himself kicking around a Sherrin on the playground. 'It was so much fun,' said Jiath. 'Obviously looking at the ball it was the weirdest shape ever. Like nothing I've ever seen in my life. '...from when I first played footy, I just fell in love with it.' The young gun later played for the Morewell Tigers, Gippsland Power and later Xavier College. The Hawks signed him in 2018 as a Category B Rookie and the rest is history. Jiath says the biggest turning point of his footy career was in 2020 when new coach Sam Mitchell pulled him aside and asked him why he wasn't playing 'consistent AFL footy'. 'That was the turning point of my career,' Jiath said. 'I went away from that conversation, (took) a hard look at myself, and really tried to understand how come I'm not.
News.com.au
14-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
AFL round 10 Gold Coast v Hawthorn: Live scores, updates, SuperCoach scores
Hawthorn defender Changkuoth Jiath says the pain of being overlooked in the club's wild finals ride last year and fighting a battle with his body in recent seasons has steeled his determination to make the most of his chances. The talented Hawk has slotted in perfectly to the back half this season and is coming off a strong fortnight, including 32 disposals against Richmond and a game-breaking 25 disposals against Melbourne last week. Importantly, he is again feeling confident in his body after soft tissue injuries meant he played only 11 and eight games across the past two seasons. 'Footy is a tough enough game anyway, but to have doubts going into games is really tough,' Jiath said ahead of Thursday night's clash with Gold Coast in Darwin. 'To actually have no doubts going into games is a massive thing for me now. 'When you spend time on the sidelines, it drags your confidence down a bit, but I feel as though I am getting my confidence back again … being able to play the footy I want to play. 'I feel as though my best footy is still ahead of me as well. I am getting better with each game and I am loving it playing down back with the lads.' Jiath, who turns 26 next month, has played 62 games in his seven seasons in brown and gold. He was available for the finals last season but after a late season niggle, he was overlooked when it came to the finals. 'I still think back to that elimination final (when the Hawks beat the Bulldogs) and not being picked and it drives me,' he said. 'Those sorts of setbacks drive you. Not being picked brings that edge and obviously with guys like 'Barra' (Tom Barrass) and (Josh) Battle coming in, it adds to the group so that puts pressure back on for spots. 'But I've always felt so supported at the club. The coaches, my teammates, the conditioning staff, and my family have all been so good for me and backed me in.' Jiath made a decision not to travel overseas at the end of last season on a break and set to work on rebuilding his body and giving it every chance of success. Other than a slight setback at the start of the year, he has had a clear run at it, having played two VFL games with Box Hill and six games with the Hawks, swiftly re-establishing himself as a key part of the backline, but also with a capacity to play in multiple roles. 'I didn't go away at all (in the off-season) … I just wanted to stick around and perfect every part that I could,' he said. 'I wanted to leave no stone unturned. The block I had this pre-season was probably the best I've had since 2021 in terms of training fully the whole pre-season.' He played almost half of his 62 games in the 2021 and 2022 seasons, but feels as if he knows more about his body now which can hold him in good stead for the rest of his career. Jiath said the challenge of taking on the Suns in Darwin on Thursday is a big one for the Hawks, given the Suns' winning streak at the Top End. 'Gold Coast has some good form this season … we have to be ready for them,' he said. 'I played them once before up there and they smacked us (in 2022). 'It's a great opportunity for us and we're looking forward to the challenge.'
