Lucy is an AFL player agent who was actually the first woman to gain accreditation by the AFL Players Association . Lucy works for Connors Sport Management, who manage many high profile players including Luke Hodge, Adam Goodes and Chris Judd (as well as his bride-to-be Rebecca Twigley!). Lucy completed a Bachelor of Commerce with a major in Sports management at Deakin University.

What does an agent do?  Amongst other things, we negotiate contracts for clients, liaise with the media and work hard on building networks with potential clients and families.

How did you get started in the industry?  I’ve been with Connors Sports Management since 2002. After completing an 80-hour work experience placement for my university degree they offered me a part time job while I finished my degree, and I’ve been here ever since!

What do you enjoy most about the role?  I love the fact that no two days are the same. Dealing with a wide variety of people is really interesting and challenging at times. Also as ours is a very small agency so I work across all aspects of the business.

What is the toughest thing about you role?  Being on call 24/7.

When you hire someone, what are you looking for?  Someone who is enthusiastic and keen to learn. Someone capable of working on their own without constant supervision.

What are the biggest challenges facing player agents?  Well, it’s an interesting time to be working in the AFL industry! There’s a lot of change underway with the league expansion (inclusion of Gold Coast and GWS teams) and free agency is also coming in during the next few years.

What is the key to being a successful player agent?  Excellent communication and time management skills are really important. The job is all about dealing with managing people so you also need to have good interpersonal skills.

What advice would you give to someone trying to break into the industry? Contacts are the key!