“He’s like a big brother to me.”

They’re the words Tew Jiath used when reflecting on his relationship with fellow Collingwood Defender Isaac Quaynor.

Hours later, without knowledge of what Jiath had said, Quaynor reaffirmed the sentiment.

“He’s like a little brother, an annoying little brother.”

Although the pair only met in November when Jiath was selected by the Pies with 37 in the 2023 National Draft, it hasn’t taken long for the defenders to form a bond underpinned by footy, culture and food.

Tew’s parents were born in what is now South Sudan. A war-ravaged nation in Central Africa. They escaped the Sudan Civil War on foot to a refugee camp in Ethiopia, where Jiath was born.

Isaac was born in Australia and grew up in the Eastern Suburbs of Melbourne supporting the Pies. He is fiercely proud of his heritage. His father was born and raised in Ghana, in Western Africa before moving to Australia over 20 years ago where he married Isaac’s mother.

In 2007, aged two, Jiath and his family of six (at the time) moved to Australia and settled in Gippsland, Victoria. It was here where Tew and his family, including Changkuoth of Hawthorn, first came across Australian Football.  

Upon arrival in Australia Jiath’s father Stephen first watched AFL on TV. Tew explains why his father, and in turn Tew, picked the Magpies as his favourite team.

“He like the concept of the black and white. Being African and coming into a fairly white country, he thought the black and white was just fitting for the family, so he decided to go for Collingwood,” explained Jiath.

“He fell in love with Steele Sidebottom, Daisy Thomas and Scott Pendlebury, so when he was at the Club and he Pendles and Sidey he was pretty happy.”

17 years after the Jiaths arrived in Australia, this weekend Changkuoth plays his 50^th AFL game for the Hawks, and Tew, six years his junior is about to play his first for the Magpies.

“It means a lot but that’s probably an understatement,” reflected Jiath.

“Our parents sacrificed a lot for us to be in this position. For CJ (Changkuoth) to play his 50^th and for me to play my first, it’s pretty amazing.

“Dad will be over the moon (when he finds out). He’ll be up here on Saturday watching CJ and then on Sunday watching me, it will be pretty cool for the family.

When Jiath joined the Magpies, Isaac Quaynor was thrilled for a number of reasons. 

“I had a friendship with CJ and knew that he had a younger brother that was going through the ranks and was a chance to get drafted, but didn’t have any inkling that he was going to come to the Pies,” Quaynor said.

“I was really excited to see him get drafted and to have a fellow African Australian come to the Club, that was the thing I was excited for.

“We’ve now developed a really good friendship over the last six months."

From day one Quaynor and Jiath shared a special bond through their heritage and similarities in their culture.

“It’s really special. Straight away, as soon as he got drafted, without having to say anything to each other, it kind of bonded us already,” Quaynor said.

“It’s been pretty cool to be able to bring him over to my Dad’s house and have him try Ghanian food of which there are similarities to Sudanese food.

“I think that’s something that’s really cool and a bond that we share.”

Jiath agrees.

“That connection was there straight away. Obviously, he’s African, I’m African and we have that same sort of perspective on how the game should be played and goals in life, said Jiath.

“Even outside of footy, he’ll give me advice on how to have the right balance between footy and life.”

When reflecting on the pair’s shared culture, Quaynor emphasised how special it is that the two childhood Magpies fans are able to be their authentic selves at Collingwood.

“We always have conversations about how he’s obviously a really confident young man and in some environments and past environments in the AFL he wouldn’t be as accepted as he is at the Pies,” said Quaynor.

“That’s something that’s a real strong point of ours (Collingwood’s) that it doesn’t really matter who you are and how quirky you are. Whatever you want to be, we celebrate it.

“I think he’s really flourished in our environment and I think that’s a big part of why he’s been able to progress quickly.”

That progression is the elevation to the AFL side after just eight VFL games and 206 days after being drafted.

Alongside Collingwood’s Head of Development Josh Fraser, Backline Coach Jordan Roughead and Vice-Captain Jeremy Howe, Jiath highlights Quaynor as someone who has been crucial in his development on and off the football field.

“I probably don’t tell him enough, but he’s been huge for me. It makes it so much easier having somebody like me, in ‘Q’ (Quaynor) already here,” said Jiath.

“I think we have the same sort of goals and work ethic. He always texts me to come in to do touch or extra recovery and I’m always asking him for advice.

“For him to take me under his wing in a short span of time, he’s a big reason why I got picked this week.”

Quaynor highlights how he has mentored Jiath in defensive craft and gone above and beyond normal training to ensure continuous improvement.

“We watch a fair bit of (match and training) vision together, and I know Howey (Jeremy Howe) does a lot of stuff with him as well,” said Quaynor.

“We just like to come into the Club on days off, we both enjoy getting after it and we do a lot of kicking stuff, a lot of ‘read react’, one on one aerial.

“I think one on one contests are my strong point so I’ve been trying to teach him a few of the tricks of the trade.”

And on how Jiath defensive work compares to that of Quaynors.

“I’ve smacked him up in some one on ones a fair bit so he’s got a little way to go,” joked Quaynor.

“He’s making some really good improvements in the right direction and I’m keen to see him bring those strengths to the table on Sunday afternoon.”

Quaynor’s words of advice to his fellow defender and African-Australian Magpie ahead of his AFL debut? Simple.

“Play to your strengths, show people what you’re good at. We play a system game so come back to the team, keep connecting, go about it with a smile on your face and I’m sure everything else will sort itself out.”