There comes a point in every footballer's journey where talent alone is no longer enough.

For Ronald Fejo, that moment has arrived.

The gifted Northern Territorian has spent much of his young career on the move, travelling across the country in search of opportunity.

Along the way, he has featured in multiple State League systems and elite environments, often showing glimpses of the ability that once had AFL recruiters watching closely.

Now, armed with a more settled mindset and shaped by adversity, the 24-year-old has received another chance at SANFL level after signing with Glenelg - an opportunity he is determined not to let slip.

"I haven't been able to play my best footy due largely to my fitness and work ethic," Fejo told National Indigenous Times.

"I have had countless opportunities and I haven't made the most of them to this point. I let myself go for a while, it's been a long road to get back here and I've needed a bit of a reality check to be honest.

"I'm motivated to push myself to be the best version of me."

That sense of reflection was sharpened in 2024 following the loss of his stepfather, Nathan Solien-Woodley - a man who played a significant role in shaping both his football ambitions and his approach to life.

"Someone quite close me passed away recently," Fejo said.

"Nathan is someone I looked up to, he challenged me to take my footy seriously.

The loss prompted Fejo to reflect deeply - not just on his football career, but on why he was still pursuing the game at all.

"I'm not doing this for myself anymore.

"He was always taking me to the gym and was always checking up, he just wanted me to give it a good crack. I want to be able to look back and say I gave it a proper crack - that's what Nathan would've wanted me to do."

Fejo's football résumé is extensive.

He has represented the Northern Territory and the Allies at U18 level, trained with Essendon's AFL squad, and played State League football across multiple competitions.

His journey has included stints with Essendon in 2022, Greater Western Sydney in 2023, and West Adelaide in the SANFL.

But despite the opportunities, consistency - particularly around fitness and preparation - remained elusive.

"I've been on a pretty long journey - I was last in Adelaide when I was 19 years old - I've moved state six times since then," he said.

"From opportunities at AFL clubs, at VFL and even top local leagues, I've been coasting for a long time."

Determined to change that narrative, Fejo returned to Adelaide without any guarantees, committing himself fully to a demanding physical reset under high-performance coach Gerard Dutton at HPC.

"It's been quite intense working with Gerard Dutton at HPC which is a private strength and conditioning facility here in Adelaide," he said.

"I spent the first month here just training every day with 'Dutts' just doing intense conditioning sessions.

"My body has been absolutely punished with the increased training and workload - everything just hurts but I'm bloody loving it."

Training six days a week, Fejo has already shed significant weight and feels reconnected with his body.

"It's still early days but I've lost a fair bit of weight already - I'm learning more and more about myself and my body," he said.

"I honestly couldn't be more grateful to have the level of support and guidance to challenge myself to push past the physical and mental barriers that were holding me back."

His opportunity at Glenelg represents a fresh start - one he approaches with humility.

"I'm grateful to be back in an elite football environment," he said.

"I'm blessed to be given this opportunity by the Glenelg Football Club and I'm just focusing on earning the trust and respect of my teammates and repaying the faith this great club has shown in giving me an opportunity."

For Fejo, the motivation now runs deeper than ambition alone.

"I'm motivated to prove those people right, I feel I owe it to myself and I owe it to them," he said.

"I've grown up as a person over the last five years, and I just want to be able to come back here to Adelaide where it all began and see how far I can go.

"I'm just excited and grateful to be back doing what I love."