Jesse Hogan admits that, yes, people are surprised when they find out he plays chess. “My characteristics in the past haven’t really mirrored someone that would enjoy chess as much as I do,” he says.
One of the AFL’s most imposing forwards, the 30-year-old has become a key piece for a Greater Western Sydney side in contention for the 2025 premiership. After inconsistent stints at Melbourne and Fremantle – in a period where he developed a reputation as an unfulfilled talent – he has honed his craft and fitness in recent years in Sydney, producing a late-career, Coleman medal-winning peak that few saw coming.
