Australian story: Young star of Vietnamese descent becomes record-breaking Bomber

3 months ago 19

When Jayden Nguyen was nine years old he arrived home one day and surprised his father, Duc, with the news he wanted to play footy with his mates.

Duc had just assumed his son would gravitate to soccer.

Duc knew little of the AFL, having arrived in Australia as a refugee from Vietnam with his dad in 1986, but his son was keen, so why not.

Mum Thuy, Jayden, his dad Duc, and twin siblings, Jessica and Justin before Jayden made his debut in 2024 with the Essendon VFL side.

Two weeks after the request, Duc found himself down at the Point Cook Sharks signing up Jayden to play AFL.

On Saturday afternoon at the SCG the proud father will stand and speak to his son’s Bomber teammates moments before Jayden becomes, according to Essendon, the first player of Vietnamese descent to play in the AFL. He’ll also be their 14th debutant this season – an AFL era record.

“I am very nervous because of Saturday coming. I have to do the talk and my English is not that good in front of a lot of people,” Duc said.

He need not worry because, not only is his English good, but the excitement surrounding Jayden’s debut will elicit smiles from anyone and everyone in the room.

“His dream has come true,” Duc said.

Jayden soon became a football fanatic, and was talented too. When the family moved he joined Avondale Heights and eventually played senior football at Aberfeldie.

He first played for Essendon in AFL NGA matches in 2019, playing alongside future first-round draft selection Isaac Kako as both made an impression in the Essendon District Football League, vying with each other for the league best and fairest awards.

“He slept with the ball. He put the ball on his side and slept with it,” his dad recalled with a big chuckle.

“When he was under-nine, he used to play footy in the house. He kicked the ball in the house and the ceiling would have the marks of the footy. He loved it.

“I watched him almost every game. When I was busy, the coach came and picked him up.”

Jayden’s passion for sport made his father smile as it meant he was pursuing something positive in the country he had made home from the moment he arrived with his own father in 1986. They left their hometown near Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) in the South of Vietnam, “looking for freedom” as parts of Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam were unsettled.

Jayden Nguyen playing for Vic Metro in 2024

“[It’s a] very hard life as a refugee. I came here as a refugee because the Australian government tried to help a lot of refugee people. I would like to say thanks to the Australian government for helping Vietnamese people,” Duc said.

Jayden helped himself, with both Cam Joyce, who coached him in the VFL this season, and Harmit Singh, the former Bombers NGA coach who is now with Sydney’s academy, full of praise for how he has applied himself to become a good footballer.

Polite, hardworking and dedicated are the words they use as Jayden earned a reputation as a player who always has a smile on his face.

“He’s just a ripping kid,” Joyce said.

Playing as a small defender, his speed and competitiveness impressed selectors as his good form coincided with an opportunity to make his AFL debut.

He knows he is good enough to be given a chance, having represented Vic Metro at under 16 and under-18 level and won the Calder Cannons best and fairest in 2023 as a bottom-ager. He also played a game with Essendon’s VFL last season before joining the Bombers as a category B rookie in 2025.

“I just want to be a figure that Vietnamese and Asian children can look up to and hopefully show them that their dream is possible and that they can do it,” Nguyen said.

Isaac Kako (second from left) and Jayden Nguyen (far right) in their days as 12-year-olds in the Essendon academy.

“For me to take a step in this direction, I feel like I’m pretty proud of myself, but hopefully I can make others proud that have helped me along the journey to where I am.”

When Jayden shared the news of his debut to his dad, Duc, who uses the name “John” when working at Cosh Living in Melbourne, ran around the house screaming.

“Jayden is a sporty kid and I am very proud of him,” Duc said. “I want to thank Essendon and all the clubs and their volunteers.”

Those who have seen him emerge through hard work and dedication can’t wait to watch him on the big stage.

“He’s from a great family, and he’s done so much work away from the bright lights,” Singh said.

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