Is there ever a profession that has been so heavily typecast by a Hollywood movie? Thanks to Jerry Maguire and Rod Tidwell’s touchdown hands, the job title of sports agent is synonymous with the phrase “Show me the money”. That famous sequence must be the bane of every sports agent across the world.

Sure, endorsements and player contracts are the basis of any agent – athlete relationship, but it’s not that cut and dry; at least in the AFL anyway.

Within the AFL, player agents play a number of roles; friend, mentor, confidant, security. They pick up the pieces when injury arrives or form desserts; they celebrate the wins and commiserate the losses. They manage expectations, ensure life balance and when retirement or delisting comes, agents help their client move into the next phase of life.

There are 79 accredited agents in the AFL and another 24 applicants will sit the accreditation examinations this week, including past players Michael Doughty and David Trotter.

Trotter has experienced the highs and lows of professional sport and can vouch for the importance of the services listed above.

A star junior with the Calder Cannons and Assumption College, Trotter was drafted to North Melbourne with Pick 9 in the 2003 National Draft. His coach at the AIS, Terry Wheeler, said of Trotter:

“If someone’s looking for a classy, cool-headed, good decision-making player who can work the ball by running with it for 30 metres and then kicking it accurately over 50 metres, then David Trotter’s their player”.

Trotter arrived at Arden Street from country Victoria, he moved into a share house with Daniel Wells and Hamish McIntosh, he had high hopes and with the reputation that comes with being a first round selection, he also had high expectations, but after four seasons, seven games and two goals it was over.

Trotter’s talents were undoubted but hamstring injuries cruelled his ability to compete. The first came in his final year of junior football and the last on a dewy morning at Casey Fields in the VFL reserves; his fifth tear that season.

“I probably realised my career wasn’t going well at that point,” he laughs.

There’s no bitterness, just disappointment.

“It didn’t quite work out and my body didn’t agree with AFL in a lot of ways. I don’t know how many hammies I’ve done now. It was probably a good decision by North to let me go.”

Trotter admits getting delisted was the hardest thing he has had to deal with but he is also grateful for the resilience it built. “It forced me to get on with the rest of my life,” he says.

He moved to South Australia and played for Norwood in the SANFL, and he completed a sports science degree in those three years before travelling overseas to see the world.

It wasn’t all play though, he worked briefly for a financial recruitment company in London – “It was a small office with four other guys, I think they just wanted someone to talk sport – I certainly fitted that brief”. And he taught football, cricket and netball to kids in Canada, “they had no idea what they were doing but loved it.”

It’s fair to say his transition out of the game was pretty smooth thanks to his club, manager – Alex McDonald and the AFL Players’ Association and their collective advice to prepare for life after football, while still in the game.

That’s the message he will stress on his future clients. The fresh-faced young draftees lucky enough to get drafted and luckier still if they can cut it on an AFL list for longer than the average (5.8 years).

Trotter’s journey has him well placed to guide these men through an environment increasing in complexity with every mark and kick. He was drafted as a first round pick ten years ago; no one knew who he was.

“It’s amazing the difference in the coverage that the Under 18s kids get now, if you are drafted in the first round most fans will know your name and who you are.”

“It’s fantastic the opportunities they get now; earning what they do for something they love doing, but with that comes the media pressure and the scrutiny.”

The decision to become a player agent came last year when Alex McDonald phoned and asked if he was interested in doing some work experience with a view to gaining his accreditation.

He has been working for McDonald Sports and Talent Management since January, talking to its young clients about managing setbacks, helping with relocation – Trotter left home for boarding school when he was 12, and keeping an eye on those who are likely to be drafted at the end of the year.

Trotter believes the biggest challenge young players are faced with is achieving life balance, “it’s important finding things they enjoy doing off-field as well”.

Trotter’s greatest challenge at the moment is SWOTing for the three-hour examination, of which a 75 per cent pass-mark is required to gain official agent accreditation through the AFL Players’ Association. A few days of intensive study back home in Lockhart, 40 minutes west of Wagga, leaves him in good shape.

The annual agent’s accreditation exams will take place in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth this week.

Applications for next year’s exam open in May 2014.