"I brought a different perspective. I wasn’t that typical fan girl who knew everything and loved everything about the sport, it was almost from an actual design perspective that I designed, not from a football perspective, so that’s what differentiates my style overall."

Humble, Hungry & Smart. These are the three virtues identified in Patrick Lencioni's book The Ideal Team Player. The book's primary focus is on building a strong team of individuals who demonstrate the attributes; Humble, Hungry, Smart.

During our conversation with Vittoria Anzelmi I couldn't help but return to the book's themes and consider how highly she performs with these virtues. Like a lot of of creative professionals, the proud Italian showed talent in early childhood with life size portraits in led pencil. Vittoria navigated school and creative tertiary education before working in print until the age of 27 where she was the first full time graphic designer at AFL club Carlton.

After thriving through the growth of the social media boom for clubland and the launch of the AFL's Women's game, Carlton's Senior Designer found a new opportunity at A-League's Melbourne Victory and while the Pantone was the same (296c) there was a lot that was very different.

We explore a lot during Vittoria's time at Melbourne Victory including some key design moments for the club. By 2024 restructures across the league meant a change of scenery where Vittoria has now landed a creative role with Tennis Australia. Still blue but at least not 296c.

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Humble

It's being self confident but not arrogant. In our chat we talk about #SerifClub; the term contrived internally when Vittoria and the MVFC team began using serif fonts in their collateral and watched as other Australian clubs followed suit. And while setting the trend locally, doesn't take a step without crediting their own European inspirations. We also dive into how she took on Victory's uniform designs. Simplifying elements, introducing a pink strip and a kit without the clubs' iconic chevron. All to a commercial success.

Hungry

The inherent desire to learn and grow as a creative just oozes from Vittoria. There is no clearer sign of a relentless desire for more than to devote your own personal time and money to the cause.

Personal trips to Europe mean investing some days to pop over and visit Macron, Hellas Verona, Genoa CFC, Juventus and Inter Milan. Connect with the teams, network, take a tour and watch the creatives in action. Or reaching out to MLS designers in the US and collaborating on some artwork to see how others work learning new ways to design and operate.

Smart

The fine balance of getting the job done and connecting with people in the best way. Like when Vittoria identified that "the wrong people were in the room" when making important decisions that were effecting the brand and navigating her way through this, becoming a voice in that room to advocate her design opinions, getting them across the line.

It's these qualities that have driven Vittoria to the personal and professional successes she has achieved to date and undoubtedly the passion will continue to reward in unexpected ways or places.

While we dive into all the details above, we also cover the day to day duties of a club creative, the importance of mentors and networking. We explore where Vittoria's inspirations come from and the advice she passes onto those wanting to get into the industry.

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“The moments after the game; the celebrations, the tears, the raw emotion that you can tell a story of through a photo, is what I look for as a photographer. Those moments where you can show character and emotion… They’re not just a footballer, they are a person.”

You can find Gaby on Instagram @gabybarnscreative

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With a camera in hand since the age of twelve, it wasn’t long for Gold Coast local Gaby Barns to ignite her sports creative career by securing a school based traineeship with local NRL franchise Gold Coast Titans. Still in school Gaby begins work in the club’s community team, focusing on club content for off-field initiatives and local community groups.

It’s here in community marketing, Gaby develops her skills and learns the ways of “clubland” until a restructure in 2020 gave “the push that escalated my career” shifting her to the on-field marketing team leading social media and content.

Then, a decade after arriving as a teen at the Titans, it was time to move on. Gaby steps into the world of freelancing, unlocking new opportunities with Queensland Maroons, Supercars, SailGP and Tennis Australia; where she took a courtisde seat photographing the 2024 Australian Open Men’s & Women’s Finals.

Gaby reflects on the learnings of moving into freelance work, the importance of networking and the value strong working relationships with industry contacts.

We talk about the technicalities of photography and what different approaches are required for recording different styles of sports.

There’s life inside team Titans such as team bus rituals (don’t sit in ‘that’ seat), the moments after a win or loss and the rollercoaster ride of managing those results on socials.

Gaby shares the advice she would give to her younger self and the advice to aspiring young creatives, who want to thrive in a world of sport that includes mainstream female representation.

We talk prized projects and moments, the ones she wish she could do over, education vs experience and what the future might hold.

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"There is always going to be people that don't like change and we experience that all in our lives all the time... but if you take those people on a journey with you and sell the brand to them in a way that can resonate with them, then they will forget about that pretty quickly ."

Tara Campbell-Barry is the Creative and Brand Lead at NRL franchise, Gold Coast Titans. The Print and Graphic Arts Graduate from RMIT earned her stripes as the sole designer for Ticketmaster Australia/New Zealand before a six year stint at AFL club Richmond and then the Titans.

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Creative to the bone, Tara has dipped into freelance work from time to time and dabbled in other medium such as music, but it is "big brands with many eyes" where she thrives.

We talk about her time at Ticketmaster; particularly who and what set her up to succeed in the industry, Richmond; the dark years and the golden ones, and now life at the Titans.

Tara gives the inside scoop on team meeting rituals, behind the scene video/graphics content and projects that never make it to the public eye.

We discuss the importance of female representation in the industry, who inspires her as well as her eagerness to continue paying it forward to the next generation of female creatives.

Tara shares her perspective on the "buy in" for the club you work for, artificial intelligence, experience vs certificates, professional development, imposter syndrome, leadership and more.

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