BY THE time Changkuoth Jiath landed in Bali two nights out from the trade deadline in October, he knew the right move was to move. But knowing and doing are two different things, especially when you're part of the fabric of a football club. 

The 26-year-old had been at Hawthorn for almost a decade after first joining the club's Next Generation Academy, had finally got his body right and had two years still to run on his contract. 

After struggling to stay on the park in the past, Jiath played 20 games for Sam Mitchell's side in 2025. He featured in all three finals, but started as the sub at Engie Stadium, Adelaide Oval and the MCG, opening the door for a club to pounce.

When Judd McVee finally made his decision to depart Melbourne on Grand Final weekend, the Demons decided they wanted more coverage at half-back. They'd been tracking a handful of options and picked up the phone.  

On the final Sunday of the Continental Tyres AFL Trade Period, new Melbourne coach Steven King and Demons list manager Tim Lamb sat down with Jiath at his manager Paul Connors' office just off Glenferrie Road near Malvern train station. 

By then, Melbourne had recruited Brody Mihocek and Max Heath and were trying to convince Jack Steele to move from St Kilda. They were also executing blockbuster trades for modern-day greats Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver, as part of a dramatic reset. They had a lot on their plate, but they wanted Jiath.

Over the course of the next 48 hours, 'CJ' decided he wanted them. He spoke to Connors a lot from Indonesia and called his closest Hawthorn teammates Will Day and Jack Scrimshaw to let them know. Hawthorn understood his choice, despite his contract status. 

With less than three hours left in the trade period, the Demons lodged the paperwork to land him, sending pick No.42 – the free agency compensation they received when Charlie Spargo moved to North Melbourne – and a 2026 future fourth-round pick to Hawthorn. 

"I left that meeting thinking it was a possibility, chatted to my manager about how they could get the best out of me, which was the main attraction to get the most out of myself. I turn 27 next year and I'm going into my prime years. I feel as though to play in a place where I'll get the chance to play regularly and bring the best out of myself was the move," Jiath told AFL.com.au this week.

"I didn't really decide until a couple of days later. I got to Bali on the Monday the day after the meeting and the more I realised that I would be leaving a club I have so much love for and so many memories since I was a little kid from the NGA days, I got really emotional about it.

"It's a massive part of life to leave behind and put a full stop on a chapter. It was very emotional. It was f***ing hard, man. The trade, when it happened, didn't feel real. Hawthorn has been so good to me and helped shaped me into the player I am, so it was hard as, but at the same time I was filled with optimism going to a new place in Melbourne. 

"It was definitely the hardest decision I've had to make given my long history with Hawthorn, close friends and relationship with Sam; he has shaped me into the player I am and given me a lot of belief and confidence growing up as a young kid. It makes it hard. At the end of the day, you have to do what's best for your career. This move feels like that for me."

Melbourne has a clear plan for Jiath. They view him as a half-back, not a wingman. With Petracca and Oliver departing, Trent Rivers is expected to become a permanent midfielder. They also need to fill the void left by McVee's move to Fremantle. 

When King and Lamb pitched the move to Jiath at Connors Sports Management, the role was central to the sell. It's what turned his head. Hawthorn is stacked with rebounding run: Karl Amon, Jarman Impey, Josh Weddle and Massimo D'Ambrosio. Melbourne isn't. 

"They knew that I wanted to play football and have so much to bring. I felt like the last few years were a bit stagnant for me. I played some good footy this year and felt like my best role was in the backline, which is where I played my best footy this year, they knew that," Jiath recalled. 

"They came into the office and said we would love to play you there, where you want to play. I felt the role I was playing at Hawthorn was awesome, but I needed this to get the most out of myself. That was the key reason to move to Melbourne."

Jiath proved this year that his body can withstand the rigours of a full campaign. After being restricted to 11 games last year after just eight in 2023 and 14 in 2022 due to persistent soft-tissue issues, the pendulum finally swung in his favour. The Gippsland Power graduate played 20 senior games around three appearances for Box Hill. 

"It has done massive things for me. I always knew it was going to turn. The injuries I've had have mainly been towards the back of the year, which hinders my pre-season a bit. If you don't have the base in your pre-season, it is really hard to get continuity and a base in and be bulletproof heading into the season. I was really optimistic that things would eventually turn," he said. 

"Credit to the coaches, physios and high performance team; they have helped me get to where I am today. They have really understood my body a lot more. I'm the type of athlete that needs to constantly do stuff. I played nearly 25 games this year, including VFL, which is a massive achievement for me. 

"It was the first year I've got my body right, so to be able to play every game was something that I was very proud of and felt like I need to make the most out of these opportunities. I feel like in the next three, four, five years are the years I'm going to be playing some really good footy, so playing in a position where I thrive is the best decision for me."

Jiath spent the final days of the trade period holidaying with his brother, young Collingwood half-back Tew Jiath, Magpies star Isaac Quaynor and Western Bulldogs swingman Buku Khamis. 

Unlike 'CJ', Khamis wasn't granted his trade wish. Carlton's drawn-out negotiations with Sydney involving Charlie Curnow – and the involvement of both second-round picks (No.31 and No.42) – in a trade that was submitted three minutes before the deadline resulted in Khamis remaining at the Whitten Oval, rather than joining the Blues. 

"Buku is an energy giver; he cares a lot about other people, so he wasn't really showing it because he wants everyone to be happy, but we could tell he was very flat. He was devastated but he is the type of guy to not dwell on stuff," he said. 

"I think he'll change the narrative and become a really good player for the Western bulldogs. Even the way he was training a couple of days after the deadline, he looks like a man on a mission next year."

Jiath gets a fresh start at a club that enters a fresh era without two modern day greats. Simon Goodwin is gone, King is in. Paul Guerra has got his feet under the CEO desk at the MCG and Steven Smith is about to start as president. 

"It's a great time to arrive," Jiath said. "It is a new age for the club and a lot more excitement with 'Kingy' bringing a new game plan in, which will be a very attractive game plan to watch with speed on the ball. I think it's going to be very good for the Dees fans. I'm very excited to be a part of that. I've learnt a lot going through that age at the Hawks in the rebuild, so I feel like I have some experience and knowledge."