RMFL Imperials royalty Brad Shiell returns after hiatus to boot 1000th career goal

This local footy goal machine booted 968 goals during a prolific career in the 2000s, before making an incredible comeback at age 46. Here’s why.

Brad Shiell was one of the most prolific goal kickers in the state through the mid and late-2000s.

Playing in the River Murray Football League with Imperials, Shiell was so good in front a goal that a full back who kept him to six goals in three quarters managed to snatch league medal votes.

And he still holds the record for most goals kicked in a regular RMFL season with 135 back in 2002.

But after booting more than 900 goals in 12 years, it took Shiell another 13 years to finally make it to 1000.

By 2009 Shiell had chalked up the career haul spanning 162 games and 968 goals for Imperials and Victor Harbor including a patch of 584 in five years in the RMFL.

Brad Shiell in his earlier playing days for Imperials. Picture: Supplied/Imperials Football Club

Brad Shiell played in the Imperials' reserves premiership in 2009. Picture: Supplied/Imperials Football Club

Needing just 32 goals to reach the miracle 1000 goal mark, that was where his story ended.

That was until he saw a book on the state’s leading goal kickers and saw how close he was the miracle mark and decided to make a miraculous come back – 13 years later.

When 2002 premiership teammate Jack Daniels called him telling him his former club needed some Covid cover in the reserves at the start of this season, the return appeared to be slated - with Shiell eyeing the major milestone.

But after not touching the ball in the first quarter of a reserves trial game, the 46-year-old full forward began questioning whether he was past it.

His doubts need not have arisen as he went on to kick eight over the next three quarters forcing the Blues reserves coach to ask him to sign on for the season right there and then.

Brad Shiell in his earlier playing days for Imperials. Picture: Supplied/Imperials Football Club

Brad Shiell with his daughter in his 2022 playing days. Picture: Supplied

Then disaster struck seven games into the season, with Shiell having booted 24 goals from five games, as a torn meniscus threatened to end a miracle renaissance.

But the man who had fought off 13 years of rust and cobwebs came back at the weekend, kicking eight goals against Meningie to reach 1000 goals in what Shiell says will likely be his last year.

Speaking with The Messenger, Shiell described a serendipitous career likely book-ended by its most fateful turn yet.

“Jack Daniels’s son Lachie plays in the side and Jack called me and asked if I wanted to come out for a run because they were mega short due to Covid,” Shiell said.

“Lachie actually kicked it to me for my 1000th, and he was born in 2002 when his dad and I won a premiership together.”

And who was the premiership won against? Meningie.

Brad Shiell playing for Victor Harbor during his halcyon days. Picture: Supplied

Shiell said it was the book, Peter Lines’s South Australian Country Football Digest – Leading Goalkickers, that proved the final push to get him back on the field 13 years after he last left it.

“I’d always known I was pretty close, but wasn’t sure how close,” he said.

“I hadn’t played since that season in 2009 and then Peter Lines’s book came out and formalised it and I had a few people saying, ‘you should just play one more year’.

“It’s been really good fun and I’ve enjoyed it a lot.

“A bunch of the kids in the team are quite young and I played with their dads, it’s like a generational thing.”

Between his last game and his return this season Shiell had become a father with his eldest aged 13 and second aged 12 – neither of them had seen him play.

Here’s how the rest of the River Murray Football League’s Round 15 played out:

MENINGIE 17.13 (115) d

IMPERIALS 11.6 (72)

Fourth spot Meningie made a statement at home against top-two side Imperial FC with a strong 43-point win.

Both sides were neck-and-neck through the first two terms but the Bears stamped their authority into the third quarter and throughout the fourth.

The hosts dominated in the middle and delivered efficiently into the forward line, with best on ground Brad Thompson hitting the scoreboard for five majors.

Jiye Hoad was also impressive, setting the tone in the contest and booting three goals.

TAILEM BEND 16.9 (105) d

MYPOLONGA 14.12 (96)

Tailem Bend remained two games clear of Meningie and in touch with Imps in third spot, resisting a spirited Tigers comeback to win by nine points at home.

The Eagles led by 20 points at the main break after an efficient first half in front of goal thanks to Steven Clay (three goals for the game) and Connor Smelt (six goals), but the Tigers clawed their way back into the contest with a six to five goal third quarter.

Tailem Bend struggled with accuracy in the fourth, kicking 3.3, but gritty play in the middle and strong contest work in the air was enough to oust Mypolonga, who kicked four straight in the quarter.

Captain Dale Finnie was best on ground for the Eagles, the powerful onballer winning key possessions out of the middle.

JERVOIS 17.24 (126) d

RAMBLERS 1.5 (11)

Top team Jervois kept Ramblers to just one goal for the entire contest in its 115-point win at home on Saturday.

Held to a single point in the first term and the third term, the Roosters were overwhelmed by the Bluds’ presence in the middle of the park and in the contest.

Dylan Barry had another standout game for the hosts, booting three goals and accumulating plenty of the footy in a midfield/forward role.

Star key forward Josh Scott was best on ground for the Bluds, kicking eight goals to add to his season tally which now stands at 56 in 10 games played.