ANYONE associated with any football club wants to see it succeed – and achieve the ultimate success. That’s a given.
Sure, Melbourne has had some incredibly frustrating times in recent years. But for most, the love of any club outweighs round-by-round performances.
In my case, I have the privilege of being part of the Melbourne Football Club – the club I grew up supporting – and working and meeting with a range of people, from the players and coaches, through to the admin and supporters.
I’m fortunate that I get to see the players regularly and observe them away from game day. Not every intricate detail. Not every training session or behind the scenes meeting. But you certainly get to know them – at least on a professional basis. And over time, you often build a genuine rapport, which is important. Like any field, you always get to know some better and more personally – or at the very least gain insight into what makes them tick.
As people, I can genuinely say that the Melbourne players are an outstanding group. There are some fine characters among the squad. They’re not all the same, and there are varying personalities, but the supporters should be encouraged that good people are at the club – and that’s across the board to be honest.
One player we should all be proud of is Neville Jetta.
He is an outstanding young man.
And it hasn’t all been easy for Jetta.
During his career, he’s battled various injuries and been on the fringe of selection. In his first five seasons, he managed just 41 matches before being delisted and then reinstated as a rookie.
Since that period, he has fought his way back onto the senior list, etched out 29 from a possible 39 matches to become a player that coach Paul Roos believes has become one of the best small defenders in the game. All in the period of battling some serious head knocks.
But aside from his fight to become an integral part of Melbourne’s backline and his courageous style of play, Jetta has become a strong leader and a great example to all.
This was further highlighted in the lead-up to Melbourne’s clash against Collingwood, when he drove the support for fellow Indigenous player, Sydney Swans champion Adam Goodes. Jetta wrote an email to the club, outlining the importance of supporting the dual premiership player and two-time Brownlow Medal winner.
“Goodes has been a leader not only for the Indigenous boys in the AFL, but for our mob off the field as well. He’s been the guy who has been leading for a long time,” he said.
“It was just good to pass the baton on, show our support and lead from our end.
“It was great from the club to get behind our little initiative that me, Jeffy [Garlett] and Jay [Kennedy-Harris] came up with. The AFL community as a whole got around him and it was great to see.”
Jetta, who arguably had his best match of the season against the Pies, was excellent. His ability to put his body on the line, spoil and win the contested ball was there to be seen.
When I spoke with him post-match, he talked with pride about the person he had become.
He spoke glowingly about former Melbourne stars Matthew Whelan and Aaron Davey, who played 150 matches and 178 games respectively.
Jetta acknowledged that his AFL journey hadn’t been all smooth-sailing, but he was now getting the rewards for all his hard work.
“You get put on a pedestal as soon as you’re drafted and things start to get expected of you,” he said.
“It was hard in the first couple of years, but I had Flash (Davey) here and Matty Whelan, so those guys helped me grow as a person on and off the field. I had great role models in those two. It is just about growing as a person.
“I’ve got young JK (Kennedy-Harris) here at the moment, so me and Jeffy are trying to play that role that Flash and Wheals did for myself and the rest of the brothers down at the club.
“I am just trying to improve myself as a person, so when footy does finish I can go back and help my community and help my people just like Adam Goodes is doing now.”
And continue to be a leader – not just for his people – but for all.
