Woodville-West Torrens veteran Luke Jarrad plans to go on after grand final

EAGLES star Luke Jarrad will be the oldest and most experienced player in his team’s grand final against West Adelaide. And he doesn’t expect that game to be the end of his SANFL journey.

WOODVILLE-West Torrens star Luke Jarrad is the oldest player in the SANFL grand final at 31.

He has also made more SANFL league appearances than any other player in the premiership decider, having played 209 games.

There are only six players who twice stood on the dais in glory after claiming premiership success in 2006 and 2011. Jarrad is the only member of the group to still be at the club.

Yet, there is no halting the hard-running defender and he has declared his intention to have an 11th season with the Eagles next year.

“Nothing has been signed but the plan is to play on next year,’’ Jarrad said. “I’ll take it one year at a time, we have a three-year-old and almost two-year-old and there is just my wife and myself here without family support.

“The drawcard to go back to Victoria is having family support but there is no plan to do so at this stage. I’ve never thought about finishing up, it is a way of life.

“I love it here. I’m a big kid at heart and hang out with my mates four or five times a week.’’

Luke Powell, Leigh Treeby, Mark McKenzie, Justin Cicolella and Adam Grocke were team-mates in the two premierships.

Jarrad admits he did not appreciate the 2006 flag as he much as he should and took it a bit for granted. He says he did not know the pain his team-mates had endured before ending the title drought.

“The second premiership was amazing,’’ Jarrad said.

Overlooked for a captaincy role this season, Jarrad confesses he was hurt for a week or two before accepting the decision and fully focusing on the season.

“I dealt with it, got over it and got on with what I had to do,’’ Jarrad said. “It has been an awesome year.’’

The Eagles have dropped just two games this season and Jarrad has had a huge influence. His run and carry from defence is important to the team’s game along with his long kicking.

Among Jarrad’s duties as Eagles marketing manager has been booking a marquee for the grand final party at Woodville Oval on Sunday night.