Since 2014 David Jones, known lovingly as ‘DJ’ and his practice - Move Physio Pilates has been providing care to Convicts players on and off the field. This is DJ’s story…….

I feel very privileged to have spent nine seasons building a professional and personal relationship with the Sydney Convicts. As the team physiotherapists, we aim to look after the players physical well being before, during and after their rugby games.

My first engagement with the Convicts was a meeting to cover their physio requirements for the 2014 season. During this opportunity I was reconnected with my old school captain and now Convicts Pathways Coach Tom - a hero on the rugby field. Tom has that innate ability to empower those around him and Tom wasn't the only person within this community who possessed that instinct. Very quickly, I realised that empowerment, inclusivity and open-minded respect form the axis that the Convicts is centered upon and I wanted to be a part of that.

That year, the Sydney Convicts went on to win the Bingham Cup (biennial world championship of gay and inclusive rugby) with a clean sheet. To witness the players pouring their heart and souls into each physical test on the field was incredibly inspiring but, the people they were off the field, left me even more humbled and also completely hooked. I felt such enthusiasm and pride at being invited into this community.

Since 2014, I have witnessed first hand the Convicts power to bring about change and to break the shackles of intergenerational and societal preconceptions that people unknowingly carry.

Having been ‘dismantled’ by the Convicts, I witnessed a dejected opposition leaving the field saying, "I didn't think a gay rugby team could beat us". That moment for me sums up so clearly what the Convicts personify; they show what a proud, strong and empowered community is able to achieve. They also sent a powerful message that day… ‘underestimate us at your peril.’

In addition to being a rugby team whose skill set and physical resilience should not be underestimated on the field, it is also a brotherhood. The Convicts motto is "Once a Convict, always a Convict" and I truly haven’t experienced a community like it. They win together, lose together and as a collective, they change perceptions and empower future generations to feel safe and confident in a sporting environment. Aside from a passionate commitment to play the best rugby they possibly can, the team has a deep respect for one another and a strong sense of social responsibility.

I am fortunate to be part of a generation that seems to be more free of prejudice than those before us. However with each generation that sees positive change, the drive and urgency to continue evolving can diminish. What I sincerely believe is that we must strive to continue educating ourselves and those around us, whilst finding ways to become stronger and better allies. After nine seasons with the team, there is still more I want to learn in this respect and as a father of two young children, instilling these values in them is incredibly important to me. I want my daughters to grow up participating in sporting environments where anyone and everyone is welcome regardless of sexuality, faith, gender or background. It is up to us to build the world we want to leave for the next generation.

On a business level, we have attempted to recreate these lessons learnt by creating a safe and judgement-free environment for anyone who walks through the door and to challenge ourselves to provide a service we are consistently proud of.

We are lucky as physiotherapists to work with lots of different sports people and what I have learnt is that not only does sport build character, it also reveals it. It’s this character that allows the Convicts to work together to overturn decades of preconceived ideas, 80 minutes at a time. The sport of rugby is what brought me to the Convicts but it was the community and their values that made it impossible to leave. I am proud and humbled that I have the privilege to continue this journey with the Club.

David Jones is the Sydney Convicts lead Physiotherapist and owner of Move Physio and Pilates. We are proud to have Move Physio Pilates and DJ’s support as official sponsors of the Sydney Convicts 2022 season.