Former Port Skipper Tom Jonas is Kicking Goals for the Australian Wine Industry

When Tom Jonas was asked in Year 8 what he wanted to do when he grew up – and he said “play AFL” – his teacher laughed at him and said he was dreaming. 

It’s quite likely that some people thought he was dreaming when, as an adult, he launched his own wine label! 

But the 33-year-old law graduate and former Port Adelaide skipper isn’t one to back down and give up – and now successfully runs Hey Diddle wines with former Port Adelaide player Brad Ebert and Barossa winemaker Ben Chipman. 

Whilst not really knowing what he wanted to do when he grew up, he did recognise the importance of collecting skills that would lead to success. 

Life outside the game 

Still trying to find his feet after finishing his footy career, he stresses the importance of professional sportsmen and women preparing for life outside the game. 

“Very few athletes will come out of their elite sporting career with financial security to last a lifetime,” he said. 

“That’s not to say you must know what you want to do for the rest of your life, but it does help if you’ve already started to figure that out. 

“Most governing bodies invest heavily in athlete wellbeing and professional development now, so you’d be foolish not to take advantage of it.” 

Zoned to Sturt Football Club – the Double Blues – as a junior, he transferred to Norwood Football Club at age 15. 

“I grew up around the Redlegs, watching Friday night games under the scoreboard, being part of their development squads and running water for the U19s when my dad was the Runner. It felt kind of inevitable I would end up playing there,” he said. 

“My pathway to AFL wasn’t the traditional one. Most players get drafted at age 18 straight out of school. They’re highly touted and pretty sure that they’re going to be playing AFL.  

“When I finished school, I got a part-time job, started my law degree, and could barely get a game for the Norwood U18s. In fact, I played a couple of games for my local amateur club.  

“Two years later, I had broken into league football for Norwood, played in a losing grand final and got a tiny bit of interest from a few clubs. Port Adelaide were one of those.” 

Pipe dreams 

Tom, Brad Ebert, and a couple of other Port Adelaide players were part of a group nicknamed the pipe-dreamers, coming up with ideas for things to do outside of footy. 

“I don’t really think creating a wine label was that creative in the end,” said Tom. 

“We got to know Ben Chipman from Tomfoolery Wines through a mutual friend and basically, the idea of starting another label driven by Brad and myself came up. We jumped at the idea.  

“Chippy was very clear that it wasn’t a free ride for a couple of pretty boy footballers. He would make the wine, help guide us at the beginning and use his industry knowledge and relationships, but Brad and I would handle the day-to-day functions.  

“Wine made the most sense. It’s part of the fabric of South Australia. You grow up having a glass of shiraz at Sunday night dinner with Mum and Dad, all your birthday parties from 18 onwards are tours to one of the various wine regions.  

“The Eberts are a Riverland family and grow their own grapes. I grew up across from the Penfolds Magill Estate Vineyard and we used to play chasey in there. Mum also worked there for a while.” 

Challenging the norm 

The difference is, of course, that Hey Diddle is challenging the norm, launching the first-ever Shiraz Stubby! 

The 330ml cap-top bottles come in a convenient four-pack, with each stubby holding around a glass and a half of Hey Diddle’s popular 2021 Shiraz. 

“We like to challenge the status quo of the wine trade and make things that we think are cool and are super proud of,” said Tom. 

“Specifically, the stubbies are a fun concept to create bit of discussion, but also to cater to an audience that don’t necessarily want to drink a whole bottle. We want people to be able to drink premium vino and not feel like they’re wasting it or must drink a whole bottle.  

“It’s perfect for a weeknight, a BBQ or picnic, where you might be the only one who wants a wine. If you get excited, you can also have a second one!” 

Whilst it wasn’t necessarily the plan to transition into the wine trade, Tom did want to develop some professional skills outside of footy so that he was prepared for the next stage of life.  

“We obviously want to be successful in whatever we do, but there was also an element of learning the ins and outs of building and running a business – doing it in a fun industry we love is just a bonus!” 

Transferable skills 

Playing professional sport has also helped develop Tom’s business career. 

“Through Port Adelaide, we got to meet lots of great people that were happy to guide us, or give our wine a go,” he said.  

“Aside from that, I like to think there are some transferable skills from elite sport to business – like working in a team, building relationships, being task orientated and driven to succeed, and willing to get your hands dirty to make it happen.” 

AFL wasn’t always plain sailing for Tom – but there were plenty of highs to outweigh the lows. 

“As the captain you’re the lightning rod at times. When you’re winning it’s great, its smooth sailing and you get a lot of credit maybe you don’t deserve, and when you’re losing, it’s the opposite. You become the foil for a lot of the frustration from supporters and pundits. But it is a part of the job, and you must find ways to deal with it. 

“There are so many great memories. The people and relationships I made along the way, the little moments with your mates on away trips, or training camps. AFL players are so spoilt because it’s really just like going to school for another 10 years – hanging out with 40 mates every day! 

Work in progress 

“As captain, seeing a young player develop and grow into a good young person and footballer, was one of the best feelings, knowing you might have played a small part in that journey.” 

As for Tom’s future journey, it’s a work in progress. 

“The wine industry has had a really challenging time in the last 18 months. China coming back online may alleviate some of that pain, but still with the cost of living going bananas, people aren’t spending as much on luxury goods.  

“For that reason, we’re not going overboard. We’re concentrating on refining our focus, reducing the number of varieties we make but continuing to do them really well, and creating a great customer experience through events and our wine club.  

“We’ve got three or four wine lunches and dinners coming up across South Australia and are always on the lookout for businesses, sporting clubs and people who want to collaborate and have a great time talking about wine, business and sport.”   

Tom believes the secret to success is to be proactive, building networks and broadening your skillsets. 

Keeping it in perspective 

“Being a balanced athlete is important. It keeps things in perspective, you learn lessons that you wouldn’t otherwise learn inside the walls of your team, and it provides a great distraction and mental release from the rigours of training or competition.” 

It also helps to have great support! Tom, along with his brothers Sam and Ben, “were just incredibly fortunate”.  

“When we weren’t playing one of about six different sports, we were at the river waterskiing, camping in outback SA or fishing and surfing on the coast.” 

And now, with wife Millie, he is nurturing his own family, Matilda and George. Any footy stars in the making there? 

“Matilda doesn’t give two hoots about balls and sport – and she’s scared of Port Adelaide’s mascot, Thunder Power! 

“George is younger and just wants to hit, kick, and throw anything in sight. Our challenge is just making sure that’s a ball and not his sister!” 

To find out more about Hey Diddle Wines, visit www.heydiddle.com.au