St Bernard’s forward Chad Jones takes out VAFA GT Moore Medal as Premier B’s best player

CHAD Jones will be out to cap a comeback season to savour next weekend by firing St Bernard’s to VAFA glory.

CHAD Jones will be out to cap a comeback season to savour next weekend by firing St Bernard’s to VAFA glory.

The Snowdogs spearhead added another accolade to his long list of 2018 achievements when he was crowned the GT Moore medallist on Wednesday.

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The 34-year-old has kicked 101 goals for the campaign in 16 games, including 13 hauls of five goals or more.

The former West Coast and North Melbourne key forward spent two years in retirement after St Bernard’s Premier Division flag in 2015 before making his return this season.

Jones finished the Premier B best and fairest count with 29 votes, nine clear of Old Carey’s former Carlton and GWS tall Kristian Jaksch.

Jones had 11 votes at the midway point of the count, trailing Jaksch by nine.

Chad Jones (right) celebrates a goal with Michael Caven during St Bernard’s semi-final win last weekend. Picture: David Crosling

But by Round 15 the Snowdogs star had hit the front, polling eight votes between rounds 13-15.

He collected 24 of his 29 votes from best afield performances and polled in eight of the last 10 games of the campaign.

Jones was oblivious that he was rocketing up the leaderboard until a call from a teammate suggested he tune in to the radio broadcast.

“I just got a couple of text messages and my phone started to light up a bit,” he said.

“One of the boys rang me and said ‘jump on and have a listen’. I caught the last couple of rounds.”

While he said it was “nice to get one back on the midfielders”, Jones has his sights firmly fixed on the Premier B decider.

With promotion back to Premier Division secure, the Snowdogs are intent on adding to their trophy cabinet with victory over either Old Carey or University Blacks.

“That’s the big one. I’m focused on that for sure,” Jones said.

“It’s always good to finish off the year with a premiership medallion.”

Jones said he had given no thought to whether he would hang up the boots again if St Bernard’s was successful, despite the temptation most players face to go out on a high.

“I think with hanging the boots up multiple times at different clubs, you never say never,” he said.

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