Jade Sheedy

Blokes like this don't come around very often, and I thought a very fine 13 year player who has devoted unwaivering service to the club, deserved his own thread.

Looking at all 9 teams, you'd be lucky to find more than a couple of 10+ year players that have been as influential within the competition.

The Gowans are obvious choices, but they too are now retired and and there are a couple of others perhaps, but they are diminishing and such players are becoming rarer each passing season. The financial pressures to go play somewhere else or at another club these days are very real and very strong. In this era, the competition and any club will be lucky to have another player like these types.

Our club will certainly be lucky to have another like Sheeds.

So Sheeds might just be the one of the last people that the word 'Champion' is reserved for. Certainly in the context of what it has meant up to now (and especially to me).

However, a word not often associated with sporting icons these days, but worthwhile nonetheless is an attribute called humility.

I have had the pleasure of speaking to Sheeds once or twice albeit fleetingly and on each occasion he has been nothing but genuinely interested in what you had to say.

At this level he has been one of the best ambassadors that the club has ever had, irrespective of his onfield achievements. With these sorts of credentials, he could get a job spruiking for Julia, Hilary and Barack.

I'll share with you an insignifcant but amusing little story that goes back a couple of years.

We had made the trek up river to Waikerie on the club bus for the game against West Adelaide. A very good day out (for us) as we smashed them by 96 points - (my apologies to FB, R&B, Thieley and a plethora of other Westies people here for bringing back bad memories) but that is not the theme of this story.

Part of the bus deal was a meal in the Waikerie Clubrooms afterward before heading home on the bus.
The players had started filtering in for a refreshment or 3 after the game and it was announced that the Club supporters on the bus (ie: us) would be served first followed by the Sturt players, West supporters etc etc. I was at the bar (unusual for me!) when Sheeds sidles up to order a frothy. So I said to him very well played today, towit he was gracious in accepting the compliment. However, I said more, you can't be as important as us supporters as we are getting served dinner first. He smiled and said "Nah, that can't be right."

A top genuine fella that I hope stays around the club for a while yet.

Top post Chambo...

Sheeds is an absolute champ, on and off the field...

I first got to know Jade a little better back in 2008 when I went to Perth for the State game. Sheeds was the skipper of SA in the game where we went down by a point. I worked for LifeFM that day doing boundary and pre-game Sheeds was very giving of his time after I introduced myself to him and asked for a chat for the coverage.

Post game, back in the hotel lobby, I was having aquiet drink by myself, waiting for the wife to get changed before going to Fremantle for dinner. Sheeds was one of the first players to come back to the hotel and came up to me for a lengthy chat about the game and asked how our coverage went.

Over the last 5 years I've been involved in the SANFL broadcasting, Sheeds is always giving of his time and whenever you see him at a game, always asks how you are and wishes you well for the call. Always asked me to say g'day to the Gowans' boys for him (he knew I'm a Doggies man) and he was always honest and upfront whenever I interviewed.

Always says 'g'day Phil' when I see him and is happy to chat about footy. Without a shadow of a doubt, one of the nicest blokes I have met in football in the 20 years I've been following SANFL. Will be missed in the SANFL circles, along with the many other senior players who retired this year, but will no doubt be remembered as a champion, on and off the field.

Thanks for that Big Phil. I love these sorts of anecdotes where the true character of people come to the fore.

SERIOUSLY....

How did Jade NOT play AFL footy?

I know people say his pace may not have been up to it, but he should have at least been given a shot on an list...

Ah well, AFL's loss and, of course, Sturt's gain...

The injustices and imbalances that are the afl.

Lord knows there are enough high draftees that have also slipped through their cracks.

Indeed our gain.

Jade Sheedy is what clubs are all about. Pure and simple.

My little story about Jade.

I was working on a building site. I was a painter at the time and part of the preperation work had to take the door locks off for painting. Getting them back on after, I struggled!!
I was getting frustrated on the site when Jade who is a carpenter (not sure if he still is?) came up to me and helped me getting a couple of locks back on. (Did not ask for help...he just did!)
That sort of thing is bloody rare especially on a building site.

A guy with no ego and a big heart. He is my favorite player from a rival cub and a gentleman to go with it.

I'll miss watching him play. Hope he continues in the SANFL in some capacity.

Well done Jade and all the best

I didn't have the pleasure of ever meeting Jade Sheedy but I did have the mispleasure of seeing him rip us apart more times than I can remember (Waikerie being one of them Chambo).

The sort of player every club hopes for, a champion and I wish him well in retirement

It also confuses me how he was never given the chance to play at the top level (AFL)