JAMES Tsitas is a mix of perfectionist, pragmatic self-evaluator and relentless worker.
They are valuable traits that has him preparing for his 100th VFL game in Gold Coast’s clash with the Casey Demons at Austworld Centre on Saturday after a remarkable run of success in the past two years at the second highest level interstate – and potentially a long-awaited AFL debut in the very near future.
Growing up in the Geelong suburb of Grovedale, the inside midfielder’s competitiveness and love for football was obvious from a young age – Auskick alone was not enough to sate his appetite and he joined junior teams above his age to get his fix.
“Mum said I used to sleep with a footy,” Tsitas, now 27, said. “(And) I was longing for competition.”
“Mum made sure I never missed out on anything – she was really selfless.”
Tsitas was a regular for the Geelong Falcons in the elite Under-18 TAC Cup (now NAB League) as well as representing Vic Country at national championships.
“You start to realise the dream might be within reach,” he said of his memories when the NAB AFL National Draft approached in 2013 after solid performances in representative football.
Now standing at 181cm and 78kg, Tsitas was never the tallest, strongest or fastest among his peers, but his work ethic has always been elite.
“All footy is hard,” he said.
“It is always hard striving for perfection – I have found all levels of football difficult, and I am never satisfied.”
But in a draft that produced superstars such as Patrick Cripps and Marcus Bontempelli, Tsitas was overlooked, but he and his manager, former Essendon forward Scott Lucas, had prepared for the disappointment.
“I knew AFL was what I wanted to do (but) I had heard of people who hadn’t been drafted but persisted in the VFL and got their opportunity,” Tsitsas said. “I was pretty resilient.”
Whilst it was tempting to join the Geelong VFL team and stay at home, Tsitas saw more opportunity for development through increased playing time at North Ballarat, and the challenge was immediately apparent when he got there for pre-season in 2014.
“The high training standards were a real shock to me … (and the strategy behind) team defences,” he said.
“It took a while to adapt. There were some tough times in that pre-season.”
After two seasons at the Roosters, Geelong came calling again ahead of the 2016 season and Tsitas felt he had developed enough to hold his own in a VFL team at an AFL club, and he was right – in 2017 he won the Cats’ VFL best-and-fairest, now known as the Vic Fuller Medal.
“(Until 2017) … I had played in more of a backline role, but there were a few injuries in the AFL side so I got more of a go in the (VFL) midfield (and) that helped bring out the best of my football,” he said.
Although he was now established at VFL level, Tsitas wasn’t content with a traditional football season, and his appetite to improve led him to Northern Territory league powerhouse Nightcliff to win the 2019-20 premiership before switching to Southern Districts in 2020-21, all while still playing in the winter.
COVID-19 and its associated lockdowns were hard on most people, but it might have been what propelled Tsitas’ career to the next level.
Tsitas had signed for Williamstown in 2020, but when the VFL competition was abandoned, he crossed the border to Woodville-West Torrens, where the SANFL had cautiously resumed its competition.
It proved a masterstroke.
The Eagles had won minor premiership in 2015-16-17 and finished second in 2018 without landing the ultimate prize and had fallen to seventh in 2019 with the premiership window appearing to be closing.
Tsitas and his new teammates changed that narrative and powered Woodville-West Torrens to back-to-back flags in 2020-21, and he shared the Magarey Medal with former Carlton star Bryce Gibbs and won the Eagles’ best-and-fairest in 2021.
After playing many finals with strong Falcons and Cats’ VFL teams without claiming the ultimate prize, the rewards were now coming thick and fast.
“It was unreal … winning a couple of premierships and some individual success,” Tsitas said.
“(Those were) some of the best times. SANFL is really well supported and to play a part in those grand finals was unreal.”
Gold Coast came calling, inviting Tsitas and three others including Frankston star Nathan Freeman to trial for the last position on its list through the Pre-Season Supplementary Selection Period.
Tsitas’ single-minded approach served him well.
“The only thing I was focused on was putting my best foot forward and doing things I have done my whole career,” he said. “I (couldn’t) focus on the talent of the other three boys.”
He emerged victorious and joined the Suns’ AFL list in February, immediately turning his attention to proving his AFL credentials.
JAMES TSITAS SPEAKS ON JOINING THE SUNS
“I (have) learned so much from the Gold Coast players as to what elite standards are,” he said.
“(The players and coaches) have really opened my eyes in terms of elite performance … I’ve had to rise to another level.”
“Some of the things (I was) doing don’t work against these (AFL) guys. I have to get fitter, stronger, faster and better at my craft.”
Tsitas is performing strongly for the VFL Suns, averaging almost 25 disposals per match, as well as being one of their leading tacklers.
“I always wanted to get to the point where I am now, but I am still not content,” he said.
“I want to play an (AFL) game, I want to be a successful AFL player – I guess I am never content.”
Outside football, Tsitas also brings his passion for exercise and his agile mindset to his business – The Fitness Cheatcode – which also had to pivot from a physical gym pre-Covid to online interactive group training.
His wife Indi has been a constant by his side, supporting his relentless drive towards his aims.
“Indi has supported me throughout it all,” he said.
When asked to reflect on his journey so far, Tsitas believes his focus on evolving through taking on board feedback has got him to where he is today.
“(Me) being overlooked in so many drafts – it means something,” he said.
“You’ve got to figure out what you’re not doing that you need to be doing to get on an AFL list.
“If you’re not getting the desired result, just work as hard as you can to get better and put yourself out there.”
JAMES TSITAS
North Ballarat 2014-15 - 29 matches, 12 goals
Geelong 2016-19 - 63 matches, 11 goals - 2017 best-and-fairest
Gold Coast 2022 - 7 matches, 3 goals
Total VFL - 99 matches, 26 goals
ALSO
Woodville-West Torrens SANFL 2020-21 - 32 matches, 11 goals - 2021 Magarey Medal (tied with Bryce Gibbs), 2021 Perce Johns Medal (WWT B&F), 2020 and 2021 premierships
Nightcliff NTFL 2019-20 - 11 matches, 10 goals, 2019-20 premiership
Southern District NTFL 2020-21 - 11 matches, 10 goals
Total State League - 153 matches, 57 goals
AND
Vic Country U16 2011 - 3 matches, 2 goals
Vic Country U18 2012-13 - 6 matches, 3 goals
AIS Academy 2012-13 - 4 matches, 5 goals
Geelong Falcons 2012-13 - 28 matches, 13 goals