THANKS FOR THE CUPPA SUPPORT
MINUTES before Tobin Cox was taken with pick 9 at the 2018 AFL rookie draft by Port Adelaide, new player agent Nigel Baldwin received a call from Power list manager Jason Cripps.
Gold Coast-based Baldwin had seconds to convince Cripps they were making the right call if they gave Cox a chance.
“It was an interesting phone call. He asked me to tell me about (Cox’s) character and why we should select him,” Baldwin said.
“I was on the spot but I was there the day before with Tobin and we went for coffee.
“It was the small things. We finished our coffee and there were a heap of waiters and waitresses around but Tobin grabbed the cups, took them back to the counter and thanked them.
“Tobin had also overcome a shoulder injury that meant he missed 11 months of football in his draft year and many clubs didn’t know the full story surrounding it. He is a resilient young man.”
Tobin was Baldwin’s second client behind former Southport Sharks player Tom Wilkinson who was picked up by North Melbourne in the same draft at No.41.
For him, the phone call came a day before and went straight to Wilkinson.
“Tom rang me and said he got the impression they were saying ‘thanks but it’s not happening’,” Baldwin said.
“I told him to ring them back and express how much you want it. It doesn’t matter what you say but how you say it. He rang him back and said if there was anything else he could do to put his best foot forward then he would.
“I still don’t know if that call back was the thing that secured his move there.”
Baldwin is one of a handful of agents on the Gold Coast but the 49-year-old’s path to the career wasn’t the most traditional.
A successful career in logistics enabled Baldwin to retire and follow his passion of football.
After being asked by his brother to help manage his nephew and 2018 under-16 All-Australian Kaine Baldwin, he decided on his new career.
The man who was born in Scotland, raised in England and spent time living on cargo ships his father worked on eventually made his way to Australia before he started his career in logistics.
“It’s now about putting the last 30 years of life experience into practice to help people see things in a positive way,” Baldwin said.
“I want to help people achieve their initial dream of being AFL listed but the important part, after talking to past players, is to build the education process around what comes after their football careers and building knowledge around that.”
IT’S NOW ABOUT PUTTING THE LAST 30 YEARS OF LIFE EXPERIENCE INTO PRACTICE TO HELP PEOPLE SEE THINGS IN A POSITIVE WAY
NIGEL BALDWIN