Kaiden Brand (born 8 April 1994) is an Australian rules football player who plays with the West Adelaide Football Club in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). He previously played with the Hawthorn Football Club and the Sydney Swans in the Australian Football League (AFL).
Early life and drafting
Brand was born in Berri, South Australia, and played his original football with West Adelaide. He was selected by Hawthorn with pick 66 in the 2012 AFL national draft.
AFL career
Brand spent 2013 developing in the Victorian Football League (VFL) with Hawthorn's reserve affiliate, Box Hill, and was a member of their premiership-winning side. He played every game in 2014, primarily at full-back. In 2015, he dislocated his left shoulder in the opening minute of his NAB Cup debut and, on club advice, had both shoulders reconstructed, missing the entire season.
He returned in 2016 and, following the retirement of Brian Lake and a concussion to James Frawley, was promoted to make his AFL debut in Round 7, 2016, against Richmond at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. He was named Hawthorn's best first-year player for that season.
Brand played 43 games for Hawthorn across four seasons (2016–2019) before being delisted at the end of the 2019 season. He was subsequently signed by the Sydney Swans as a delisted free agent, where he played five games over the 2020 and 2021 seasons.
Return to South Australia
After his time at Sydney, Brand returned to South Australia to play for West Adelaide in the SANFL. He was named club captain in 2023. He also represented South Australia as a state representative in 2022.
Coaching
Brand was appointed senior men's backline coach at the West Adelaide Football Club. In January 2024, he announced that he was stepping away from playing indefinitely due to ongoing concussion recovery.
Career statistics
Across his AFL career, Brand played 48 games (43 for Hawthorn, 5 for Sydney), recording 649 disposals, 235 marks, and 62 tackles. He played as a key defender, standing 198 cm (6 ft 6 in) and weighing approximately 98 kg.
Honours and achievements
- VFL premiership player (Box Hill): 2018
- Hawthorn best first-year player: 2016
- SANFL State Representative: 2022
- West Adelaide Football Club Captain: 2023
