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How Steven King changed the game for CJ Jiath
Abby Crozier • July 8th, 2026 10:25 am
Changkuoth Jiath is one the most exciting rebound defenders in the game,.
After eight seasons with Hawthorn, Jiath made the move to Melbourne ahead of the 2026 season, joining force with fellow newcomer, coach Steven King.
On a high after taking home a win over his former Hawks in Tassie last weekend, the 27-year-old shed light on his footy transformation under King's wing.
“Kingy has been really good with me. I was really needing something different, so he’s been really good especially in giving me a bit of fresh air – he’s been awesome with that," Jiath said on SEN Breakfast.
“He’s been a shoulder to lean on, and he’s really helped me to bring back my confidence again. I’m starting to feel as though I’m a player who fits in the league and can be dominant in it.
"Footy is such a small part of our lives, but we can get fixated on it and forget what’s happening in the real world. Kingy has taken the anxiety out of footy so much.
"Lots of boys have kids and families, and other things going on in their lives – Kingy has always been strong on if there’s something really important you need to take care of, you can do that - just let us know and we can take care of it.
"He takes care of the actual person and life outside of footy, before the footy player."
Apart from his defensive rebounding expertise, Jiath is also a keen DJ.
On pursuing opportunities outside of footy, he says King has thrown his support behind him every step of the way.
To get behind CJ the DJ's side hustle, COIJ, keep an eye out for his debut track release on July 24, under his COIJ pseudonym, available on Spotify.
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Also helping him in his move to a new club, Jiath named inspirational Demons skipper Max Gawn as influential on helping him settle in the red and blue.
"Max Gawn is one of the nicest blokes I’ve come across in the footy world. He is so genuine and caring," Jiath said.
"The way he carries himself off the field but is also such a dominant force on the field, I think to have that balance in handling yourself is super admirable.
"One of the first blokes I thought I could really spend some quality time with when I first came to the club, he is super authentic."
Another inspiration is former North Melbourne forward and Melbourne Demon Majak Daw.
Given their shared background, Daw has been an integral part of CJ's footy aspirations. He admits to idolising Majak which led to dozens of social media messages.
"He was the first South Sudanese player and first player that I could see myself in. He’s the
kind of player that I admire - obviously growing up he was everything for me," he said on Daw.
kind of player that I admire - obviously growing up he was everything for me," he said on Daw.
"I remember I used to message him when I was so young, hassling him. I eventually got a follow from him, and I was the happiest kid ever."
CJ continues to work towards building the visibility for the South Sudanese community in the AFL, growing the platform for kids just like he once was.
"My cousin, Mamuch Chuol, is the CEO at NextGen Unite which is a program that runs in the South Sudanese Community which works to bridge the gap between Australia and South Sudan," CJ continued.
"There is a wide range of programs, but the main one that he runs is the footy program. That has fast developed, also has become like a big brother in the footy and south Sudanese world.
"There’s a lot to balance with the South Sudanese culture and Aussie culture, and working to bring them all together – footy is a massive part of that.
"Being able to run programs, with the help of AFL as well, its fast tracking, it's going to be a really good program for kids that are wanting to become AFL players but, there’s a lot of things that we can do better within the community, so it can work in helping kids stay out of trouble as well.
"It's really exciting to be apart of it and seeing who could be the next Majak Daw."
