VAFA 2018: St Bernard’s forward Chad Jones weighing up future

CENTURY goalkicker Chad Jones is “undecided” about whether to play on after spearheading St Bernard’s VAFA Premier B flag.

CENTURY goalkicker Chad Jones is “undecided” about whether to play on after spearheading St Bernard’s VAFA Premier B flag.

Snowdogs premiership coach Mark Riley said the ex-West Coast and North Melbourne forward, who bagged 105 goals from 17 matches this year, was weighing up whether to continue in 2019.

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“With those players at that level, the Jones, (Adam) Benticks, who are very senior, established, quality young men, we just leave it to them,” Riley said.

“The indications are positive, but we will just leave it to them in their own time to make a decision.”

Jones won the GT Moore Medal as Premier B’s best and fairest player this season after spending the past two years in retirement.

Chad Jones rises for a mark during St Bernard’s crushing grand final win over Old Carey. Picture: David Crosling

Riley said he would respect if players such as the 34-year-old wanted to go out on a high after the club’s 83-point grand final win over Old Carey.

Riley has recommitted for a fourth season as coach, determined to lead the club’s push for a finals berth in Premier Division.

“I am a competitive person and the challenge of going back to A Grade and being more than competitive, that’s still in my blood,” he said.

“We’ve had quite a significant commitment from the existing playing group that they want to continue. That drives me.

“There’s really good chemistry amongst that group and there’s still so much improvement in them.”

The experienced mentor said he was buoyed by the depth of young talent which had been blooded in the Snowdogs’ senior team in recent years.

He said “12 guys under 22 years of age” had been senior regulars and “4-6 good under-19s coming through... had a taste of it”.

“We are not just going up to hang in and make up the numbers,” he said.

“We want to be a good team, as good as we can be, in A Grade.

“We understand it goes up a level and is pretty competitive at the top end.

“But if you have got a ticket in the raffle, you might win it.”

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