[6] Aylett also had a brief cricketing career that he never fully pursued due to his interest in Australian rules football.
He played as a batsman in 11 first-class matches in the 1950s for domestic cricket side Victoria but was not successful, finishing with a batting average of just 16.
He was elected to the position of North Melbourne Football Club president in 1971, and his innovative off-field leadership in securing sponsorship and running corporate entertainment – including the rise of the North Melbourne Grand Final Breakfast as one of the Grand Final's most prominent events – followed by his aggressive recruitment of star players, particularly through the use of the short-lived "ten-year rule" in 1973, turned North Melbourne from perennial also-rans to a professionally run powerhouse of the 1970s,[3][10] and the club contested five consecutive Grand Finals between 1974 and 1978, winning the 1975 and 1977 games.
[12] Under his guidance, the league expanded into the Sydney market, making preparations for an expansion team before South Melbourne opted to relocate there;[3] Aylett subsequently sat on the Swans' board of directors.
[6] In the 1979 Birthday Honours, Aylett was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to Australian rules football.
[18] On 1 January 2001, he was awarded the Centenary Medal for service to Australian society through the sport of AFL football.