Geelong debutant Jamaine Jones finally achieves AFL dream after finding support he needed in foster mum
JAMAINE Jones’s foster parents have watched an unwanted child from Broken Hill grow up, gain self-belief and continually tick-off his dreams. On Saturday night he will do it again as he debuts for Geelong. Here’s his remarkable story.
Geelong
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ON Saturday night Jamaine Jones will have thousands of supporters in the crowd at GMHBA Stadium as he makes his AFL debut for Geelong.
His biggest supporters — Sue Lovett and Andrew Eade — will be just two faces among the thousands, but plan to make their presence felt.
“We’ll all be there. All the family will be there,” Lovett said.
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“Even if there were 100,000 in the crowd he’d still hear us.”
Lovett is Jones’ foster mum and Eade his mentor since age 15.
Together the pair have watched an unwanted child from Broken Hill grow up, grow in self-belief and confidence and continually tick off his dreams, of which playing AFL had always been the biggest.
“He’s one of those kids who if he puts his mind to it he could achieve anything,” Lovett said.
“He’s always going to be a star to me no matter what he plays — AFL, VFL, whatever. But this was his ultimate goal. He’s wanted it so much and worked his butt off for it and done the hard yards. If anyone deserves it, he does.”
A single parent with four children of her own, Lovett adopted Jones from a group home in Mildura when he was 10.
There he was often lonely and had a revolving door of fellow kids and careers, few of which he ever connected with.
But he found the love he desired and was soon living a happy childhood with Lovett in Geelong and later the small western Victoria town of Heywood.
“To be in group homes, foster homes, his mother not wanting him, it was tough,” Lovett said.
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“To come to me and my kids and then Andrew and his wife Maria and their kids, we’ve given him a loving family and we’ve just supported him. It takes a village to raise a child and that’s our little village.”
A talented junior footballer, Jones was playing under-16s for Heywood when he was still eligible for under-12s and played in a senior premiership for the Lions at 16.
He eventually caught the attention of the North Ballarat Rebels and was rookie-listed by Geelong after an impressive top-age season in the TAC Cup in 2016.
“It validates all the hours and hours and hours we spent in the car driving to Ballarat and back,” Eade said.
“He was a small kid in a small school with big dreams and then that growth again since he’s gone to Geelong is just immeasurable.”
Eade recalls Jones being asked in his draft year what his biggest achievement had been.
The question was meant to be related to football, but Jones’ response came as no surprise.
“He said, ‘Easy, last week mum, Eadey and I went to my graduation’,” Eade said.
“They said, ‘No, we meant with football’, to which he said ‘I always knew I could kick a football. I didn’t know I could finish school’.
“I think when he realised he could achieve those things he didn’t think he could do he realised the things that he could do were really achievable.”
One of seven children, Jones was the first of his siblings to go to high school and the first child of his adopted family to pass Year 12.
Lovett was the first person Jones called when he heard the news he had been called up for Saturday night’s game.
After some recent good form in the VFL, there had been a sense that it would only be a matter of time.
But there was overwhelming emotion for both when the words, “I’m playing in the AFL this week” were said during that call.
Lovett could not be more proud, the accomplishment justifying the many sacrifices she had made personally and also those made by her adopted son.
“He’s got what he needed,” Lovett said.
“He’s got the love, the support, he’s one of the most grounded kids. He will never forget where he’s come from and he’s going to be a great mentor and role model for any other kid who’s in out of home care and to show them that your dreams can be met.”
JONES A ‘RARE, UPLIFTING STORY’
A TEENAGER described by his coach as “rare, uplifting story” will make his AFL debut for Geelong at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday.
Jamaine Jones spent years in a Mildura share home as a child after being put up for adoption before he was taken in by a foster mum and flourishing in a new family environment.
A senior premiership player for Heywood in western Victoria at 16 and taken by Geelong in the rookie draft at 18, Jones was on Thursday night named to line up against Carlton.
“He was effectively our last pick in the rookie draft — they’re as speculative as they come,” Cats coach Chris Scott said yesterday.
“And (selection is) absolutely based on merit.
“We were confident he had the desire — he had a history of overcoming adversity.
“He’s got some energy and a really good pressure player. It’s a rare story. A really uplifting one. We’re really proud of him.”
Jones, 19, has previously spoken of living in the share house waiting to find a permanent home.
“I was pretty much the only one there — kids would come in and out but I was mainly by myself,” he told the Herald Sun after he was drafted.
“Just not having anyone there and the adults looking after you wasn’t the best. Different people would come in, but you couldn’t really have a strong relationship with anyone.
“It was lonely ... not having anyone, not having that love, I guess, sort of hurt me.”
Foster mother Sue Lovett said yesterday Jones was an inspiration.
“He will never forget where he’s come from and he’s going to be a great mentor and role model for any other kid who’s in out of home care and to show them that your dreams can be met,” she said.
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