JASPAR WILSON-KEIR | JUNE 19, 2026
When people speak about Brayden Crossley, the same themes often emerge -competitiveness, loyalty and an unwavering willingness to put his teammates first.
As he prepares to become the latest Shark to reach 100 games, those traits have shaped a journey that has taken him from junior football on the Gold Coast to the AFL, and ultimately back to the club where he has built his own legacy.
Growing up at the Burleigh Bombers, Crossley spent countless hours around football alongside his brother Ashton, while his father, Troy, coached from the sidelines.
“Running around at Burleigh with my brother, having a kick while Dad coached is something I always remember and something I try and bring with me wherever I go,” Crossley said.
While Brayden and his brother spent countless hours with a football in hand, his father, Troy Crossley, was also helping shape the player he would become.
“Brayden was a bit later getting into it. He really took to it around the Under 10s. He had to grow into his body, which is where the nickname ‘Gooba’ came from,” Troy said.
Like many of his Southport teammates, Crossley progressed through Palm Beach Currumbin State High School, where he was part of a highly successful and undefeated football program under respected coach Neil Mackay.
“He’s always been a man mountain. He’s always been super competitive and a terrific team player,” Mackay said.
“You knew when you had him on your team that everyone walked a foot taller because they knew they had big Goobs running around protecting them.
“On the field he was fiercely competitive — one of those blokes with genuine white-line fever. Off the field, he’s a gentle giant and a really nice bloke. He’s a quality young man.”
As his school football career flourished, Crossley was also making his mark across Queensland’s elite talent pathways. Featuring in senior football from a young age, he earned representative honours with Queensland, the Allies and the Gold Coast Suns Academy, quickly establishing himself as one of the state’s most promising young ruckmen.
GEELONG, AUSTRALIA – JULY 05: Brayden Crossley of the Allies with his trophy for the Allies MVP uring the 2017 AFL Under 18 Championships match between Vic Metro and the Allies at Simonds Stadium on July 05, 2017 in Geelong, Australia. (Photo by Adam Trafford/AFL Media)
As Crossley’s reputation continued to grow, former NEAFL Gold Coast coach Steve Daniel recalled the first time he saw the young ruckman compete against senior bodies.
“When I was coaching at Gold Coast, I was always keen to get the Academy boys back,” Daniel said.
“He played a game and I just couldn’t believe how mature and how strong he was. He was playing like a man as an 18-year-old.
“He was very impressive back then, so you always knew he would go on to be something.”
After establishing himself as one of Queensland’s most promising young talents, the 198cm ruckman was selected by the Gold Coast Suns with pick No. 52 in the 2017 AFL National Draft.
Crossley wasted little time making an impression at the elite level. Less than a year later, he was handed his AFL debut in Round 7 of the 2018 season against the Western Bulldogs.
After a memorable first outing, the young talent went on to play 10 AFL games across the 2018 and 2019 seasons, kicking five goals and showcasing the competitiveness and physical presence that had become his trademarks throughout his junior career.
A return to Southport beckoned ahead of the 2021 season, with Crossley rejoining a club he had previously spent time around as a teenager. He quickly cemented himself as one of the competition’s premier ruckmen and a key figure within the Sharks’ program.
His influence extended far beyond his performances on game day. Appointed co-captain alongside Jacob Dawson in 2024, Crossley earned recognition as one of the club’s most respected leaders — a sentiment shared by Dawson himself.
“I wouldn’t have ended up here if it wasn’t for him,” Dawson said.
“Being able to play footy together is really special. He’s my best mate, he’s a ripping footballer and he’s a big reason I’ve been able to play the football that I have.
“He’s been the best ruckman in the VFL for the last six years, and he’ll be remembered as that.”
Current Head Coach Matthew Primus, an All-Australian ruckman during his own decorated playing career, believes Crossley’s greatest asset is his willingness to compete.
“It’s as old as the hills, but you love your rucks to be competitive, and Goobs is exactly that,” Primus said.
“He might be undersized for a ruck in the modern game, but he just competes. He’s a great leader and guys just want to play for him.”
That relentless competitiveness has seen Crossley establish himself as one of the competition’s premier ruckmen throughout his time at Southport.
A two-time VFL State Team representative in 2025 and 2026, Crossley has consistently performed at an elite level.
In 2023, he was awarded the Wally Fankhauser Memorial Trophy, one of the club’s most respected honours, recognising the player who best embodies the spirit, values and culture of Southport Football Club.
While the accolades tell part of the story, it is the respect he has earned from teammates, coaches and the wider football program that perhaps best reflects his impact on the Sharks.
While Crossley’s list of achievements continues to grow, there is one goal that remains at the forefront of his mind.
With his father, Troy, a Southport Hall of Famer and Premiership player, the opportunity to add a premiership alongside the family legacy is what continues to drive him.
“Dad played here and had a pretty illustrious career, so that’s something that is always in the back of my mind,” Crossley said.
“We’ve gone so close over the past five years, and I don’t want to finish my time here without getting the job done. It’s what this group and this club deserve.”
No one has watched the journey more closely than his father, Troy.
“I’m proud of him no matter where he plays,” he said.
“He never gives less than 110 per cent. It’s personal to him to play well and it’s personal to him to win.
“Seeing him do it at a club like Southport, I couldn’t be prouder.”
For General Manager of Football Jarrod Field, Crossley’s contribution cannot be measured solely by statistics or accolades.
“He’s got a great family legacy here. His dad is a Hall of Famer, and the Crossley family goes way back with Southport,” Field said.
“But Brayden has built his own legacy as well.
“There’s a tremendous level of respect for him throughout our football club. He’s been a great warrior for Southport and someone who has always put the team first.”
Reaching the 100-game milestone is a moment Crossley cherishes, but it also serves as a reflection of the impact he has had on the football club he proudly calls home.
“I’m extremely proud. I couldn’t imagine myself being anywhere else,” he said.
“It means the world to me to play 100 games.”
Congratulations on 100 games, Brayden.
GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA – SEPTEMBER 13: Max Spencer and Brayden Crossley of Southport celebrate victory during the VFL Preliminary Final match between Southport Sharks and Frankston at Fankhauser Reserve on September 13, 2025 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Albert Perez/AFL Photos)
