Jets playmaker shares why he has to hang up the boots

“I need to be able to move and I have a young family. I don’t want to not be able to enjoy that.’’ Read about Josh Cleeland’s career highlights.

Jets Buzz

Michael Nunn

Maybe your Josh Cleeland highlight was his try against the Pride in the 2015 finals.

Maybe it was his short kicking game against the Hunters two weeks later in the preliminary final or maybe it was the tackle on Glenn Hall in the last five minutes of the 2015 grand final.

Or maybe it was against the Cutters on a cold night in Ipswich in 2014.

Retiring Jet Josh Cleeland made his debut for the club in round three 2014.

By August that year, the Jets were fighting for survival against Mackay and the score at half time was 10-4 in the Jets favour but nothing was certain.

Ipswich Jets’ coaches Ben and Shane Walker stood in front of their players and explained the importance of defence in the second half.

As the players stood to return to the field, Ben and Shane left the simple instruction attack will take care of itself just defend.

Forty minutes later, the Jets had won 62-10.

Josh Cleeland enjoys one of many rewarding moments playing for the Jets. Picture: Rob Williams

Cleeland was Jets players’ player. He made 211 metres and seven tackle busts with three-line breaks with a try.

In the second half, Cleeland went down the middle and set up Brendon Marshall.

He attacked left and came out the other side putting Carlin Anderson over for a try and when that was all done he dummied and ran 70m to score himself.

Whatever it was you can be sure Jets’ fans have a highlight.

Now Cleeland’s knees have decided to do what plenty of defenders were dreading. They’ve stopped him.

“I can’t walk for days afterwards and I have a physical job,’’ Cleeland said.

“I need to be able to move and I have a young family. I don’t want to not be able to enjoy that.

“I have had a great career, and I wish I could keep playing for the Jets but it’s not to be.’’

Josh Cleeland’s kicking game was a vital part of his football weaponry.

While Cleeland was away in Sydney from 2016-2018, he won NSWRL five-eighth of the year twice, a premiership with the Bulldogs and a State Championship with man of the match honours.

In doing so, Cleeland joined Jason Demiteriou, Tyrone McCarthy and Shaun Nona as the only men to win two State Championships.

Cleeland’s Bulldogs win over Dolphins goes with his 2015 Jets’ premiership and State Championship win over Newcastle.

Cleeland also captained Queensland in 2019, beating the NSW Residents 42-22.

Cleeland scored a try and kicked six goals and a field goal in the Queensland win stamping his mark on his only appearance in a maroon jumper.

Inspirational playmaker came through Ipswich club ranks

Josh Cleeland rated the 2015 grand final his career highlight. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Big games brought forth the Jets number 6.

“The highlight is the 2015 grand final, the Jets are my team,’’ he said.

“I was a West End junior and Jets Colts so to play all the way through and play for the Jets and win a premiership was fantastic.’’

It comes to an end with 81 games for the Jets featuring 17 tries, one field goal and 71 goals for 211 points.

Whatever your Cleeland highlight is, sit back and remember a great Jet.

Jets face a Devil of a final game

The Norths Devils will travel to Ipswich on Saturday night to pull the curtain down on the Jets season for 2021.

The last time the Devils came to Ipswich they got the jump on the Jets 31-14 in 2019.

The Devils return to Ipswich on Saturday with an impressive record. Norths have won 12 times and the Jets 10 times at the North Ipswich Reserve. They have played one draw.

The Jets have won 19 of 47 against the Devils with two draws.

Norths have won the past two games between the two clubs.

The Jets travelled to Mackay on Saturday night and for 25 minutes things were going to plan. The Jets were up 18-14 and had recovered to score two quick tries.

Zac Hetherington was held up and then reset to the right and followed a kick to score the Jets looked like they were putting the puzzle together.

The Cutters then found a way to score the next four tries and the game was gone 36-26.

The Jets had 62% of the ball but some misreads on the fringe cost them dearly.

Norths are on the other end of the table and riding high.

The Devils will be a hard task. They’ve won 15 of their last 16 games and a club record 10 games in a row and a club record nine away wins in a row.

They are four wins clear on the top of the ladder because they are a well-coached team.

The battle of the coaching staff will be alive and well on Saturday.

Devils captain Jack Ahearn powers ahead in this season’s Intrust Super Cup match between the Northern Pride and Norths Devils at Barlow Park. Picture: Brendan Radke

In the blue and yellow corner Rohan Smith is preparing his Norths Devils to roll on to September.

“We are excited, we have had to live without football and then when it comes back we are excited to play,” Smith said.

“Ipswich are a challenge and have been my whole-time coaching Norths so we prepare and make sure we are ready.

“This year we have had disruptions with the bye every four weeks so we have got a pretty good system in place to deal with the break.”

Jets coach Keiron Lander, in the green and white corner, is excited by the challenge the Devils will bring to Ipswich.

“Norths are top of the table for a reason, they have good young players, they have experience and they have a good coach who prepares them well for games,” Lander said.

“We are excited to play them at home on Saturday and set down a marker, we want to go to the off-season with wins and playing football.

“I think the other teams know if you don’t prepare for Ipswich we can put on points.’’

Thanks for your support

This is my last column this season. What a fantastic role I have fallen into. I truly love it.

All I wanted was to be a Jet. The fact I have no ability and can’t be in the sun meant I was never going to achieve that but the players that do get to do it and have done something special.

My way to stay involved is to write about it. To make sure the players’ family and friends know about their amazing feats and know about milestones.

I love maintaining the records and I love writing about the Jets.

I see it as my community service to the players’ families.

Thanks to the QT’s David Lems for providing a soapbox for me to stand on and shout a bit. Thanks to the Jets for letting me spruik my love.

Thanks to all the fantastic players past and present. What a treat it is to talk to these guys. I have to fight the urge to say sometimes I loved you when I was 10.

Cooper’s stat

The Jets have scored 20 or more points seven times this season in losses.