Meet Ray White's Clay Brodie, ex-pro rugby player turned Sydney real estate agent

Pool boy, bouncer, actor – Clay Brodie’s CV is anything but dull. Now the ex-professional rugby player is putting his sales skills and showmanship to excellent use as director at Ray White Woollahra, where his clients even include some of his former nightclub regulars.

We hear you’re an eastern suburbs local.

I grew up in Coogee. My mum moved to Australia from South Africa with her parents. They bought a large property near the beach in Coogee with another house out the back. My parents moved there when they married. I went to school at St Brigid’s then Waverley College.

Is that where you caught the rugby bug?

Pretty much. I was always that big kid who played rugby. Everyone thought I was going to go further with it. My father played for the Rabbitohs when he was younger. I played league and union but he pushed me into rugby. I was in the Australian under 20s squad and I played for the NSW Country Eagles and Sydney Uni. I did a season in Hong Kong in 2015 before I retired from rugby. I’m now vice president of Eastern Suburbs Rugby Club and I sponsor the club too.

It sounds like rugby was the dream. How did you pivot into real estate?

My dad knew how injuries can change your plans. He said, “You need to start thinking about something else.” He gave me the number of a friend in real estate. I called straight away. They had a mate called Randall Kemp, who was about to start his own agency. I started work experience with him and he gave me my first job. We’ve been at Ray White Woollahra for about eight years. I’ve been a director for a year.

Did you know anything about the industry when you started out?

I wasn’t polished at all. I was living in Maroubra at the time. I had a mullet. I drove a white Commodore with racing stripes. Randall saw something in me.

What’s this I hear about a side hustle as an actor?

I was always the jock at school but I was also very much into drama. When I left school, I was offered a scholarship at NIDA but I decided to focus on rugby instead. Drama was always at the back of my mind. I think real estate has filled that void to an extent – I am on show all the time. I have an uncle who is an actor. He put me in touch with his manager and they signed me up. I’ve played a police officer on Home and Away and a driver for Deborah Mailman.

Any other intriguing jobs?

I spent about three years as a pool boy. The funny thing now is that I’ve sold houses where I used to clean the pools. I also worked in security at Ravesis Hotel in Bondi Beach and sold houses for people I met there.

Has anyone you kicked out become a client?

Yep, there was definitely one guy I kicked out a couple of times. I sold his unit in Bellevue Hill. Tell us about your role at Ray White Woollahra. Woollahra is our biggest market. I also do business along the coast where I grew up. We’re moving more into Paddington as well. I’ve been involved in sales from studios to $15 million homes. My sweet spot is probably between $2 million and $4 million.

How do you spend your downtime?

I’ve got an 18-month-old daughter, Harper, who I’d love to spend more time with. I’m still learning to juggle work and family life.