Williamstown champion and former Essendon AFL player Ben Jolley set to make his 250th VFL appearance
Williamstown star Ben Jolley will become just the eighth player to reach 250 VFA/VFL games on Sunday.
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Ben Jolley describes it as a simple equation.
When the motivation to get better each day disappears, his boots will be shelved and one of the great VFL careers will officially come to an end.
Unfortunately for the self-effacing 31-year-old’s opponents, Jolley is not ready to call time on his magnificent state league journey just yet.
The gun Williamstown midfielder is averaging 27 possessions and six tackles in 2017 as his team chases another shot at premiership glory.
Jolley, from Ascot Vale, will make his 250th VFL appearance against Werribee at Burbank Oval on Sunday — another accomplishment in a career to envy.
His status as one of the competition’s blue-chip performers is not in question and he is only the eighth player to achieve the milestone in VFA/VFL history, joining Bill Swan, Fred Cook, William Harris, John Benson, William Lang, Nick Sautner and Mick Martin.
Jolley, who played four AFL games for Essendon in 2006, said he remained as hungry as ever.
“When that starts to waver or leave the system, that’s when it’s easy to say you’re time’s done,” Jolley said.
“VFL footy requires a massive commitment and if you’re not enjoying it and you don’t have the motivation to continue, then you’re not going to be getting the best out of yourself. There’s no point trying to fight that battle.
“At the moment, very, very motivated and still enjoying the game.”
A schoolteacher, Jolley locks horns with full-time players most weekends.
But that is what he and other loyal clubmen thrive on — the opportunity to test themselves at the highest level possible.
He has not been tempted by offers from cashed-up suburban clubs and has four Gerry Callahan medals — awarded to Williamstown’s best and fairest winner — to show for his hard labour.
Throw in seven consecutive VFL Team of the Year selections, two state guernseys, a relentless work ethic and consistency most would crave and you have a genuine champion.
Jolley is also a premiership skipper, triumphantly hoisting the silverware with coach Andy Collins after the 2015 grand final victory.
He said the standard of the VFL continued to improve.
“It comes down to the level of professionalism that’s now required with the reality that you can be possibly be playing against a side basically full of full-time footballers when you play the AFL stand-alone sides,” Jolley said.
“Regardless of whether you’ve just worked a full day and happen to rock up to training and its six degrees and raining, you’ve just got to get the best out of yourself.
“There’s absolutely no doubt that from when I first entered the competition, albeit it was still a very, very high standard, natural progression has just demanded that the players have consequently had to improve to still perform at this level.”
Jolley captained Calder Cannons to the 2004 TAC Cup premiership and led Vic Metro in the same season.
He logged 52 matches for Bendigo before crossing to the Seagulls at the start of the 2008 season.
Sunday will mark his 198th match for the perennial contender and he remains a damaging player in the middle of the ground alongside teammates Willie Wheeler and Michael Gibbons.
Jolley listed that pair and Peter Faulks, Matthew Little and Brett Johnson as among the best he has played with.
“We’re in a fortunate position now where the club’s development programs are really starting to churn out some good footy players,” he said.
“Not that I ever felt like I was burdened in terms of having to perform week in, week out, without the team support.
“It’s just in a good spot where we really just spread the load among all players in the side.
“I’m pleased my form has held up my end of the bargain, but equally as pleased that we’ve had a real improvement in the second, third and fourth-year players.”
As far as his most influential mentors go, it is hard to go past Peter German, who steered Williamstown from 2010-13 and will end his four-year stint at Coburg at season’s end.
“He just came along at the right time — a time when I needed, I suppose, that harder edge,” Jolley said of German.
“It was a pretty simple message that was always communicated by Pete and I suppose he saw in me a work ethic and a want and drive to be successful. That’s obviously what he’s built himself as a player on and also as a coach.
“He just drove me to reach these standards at a time when you could go either way with your footy, when I was probably 23, 24.
“It put me in really good stead for the rest of my career.”
As for a career in the suburban football ranks once his time in the VFL is over, Jolley said with a chuckle: “I haven’t thought about that and I think I’m just outside probably the age bracket they target.
“They’ve been really respectful in acknowledging this is the level I want to play at and I want to see how much I can get out of it. When you get into your early 30s, they’re probably after a different player they can build a side around.
“If I can wrap things up at Willi, that would be a nice way, but we’ll see.”
Williamstown’s clash against Werribee starts at 2pm on Sunday.
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