‘Legendary Mate’: Footy legends pay tribute to Jase Nelson

A number of football identities have paid tribute to Geelong hero, Jase Nelson through a number of fundraising events.

Dave Matthews (GWS chief executive), Stephanie Reynolds (Lifeblood partnerships manager), Simon Walsh, Angela Hayes (Lifeblood donor centre manager Geelong), Robert ‘Dipper’ Dipierdomenico and Adam Djokovic live it up at Portarlington Golf Club. Picture: Supplied

Footy legends Jimmy Bartel, Robert “Dipper” Dipierdomenico, and West Coast premiership player Will Schofield have come together to honour a fallen Geelong friend.

Jase Nelson, Will’s brother, died in September after a battle with blood cancer, and family, friends and footy legends arranged two fundraising functions last week to raise awareness for the Leukaemia Foundation and Lifeblood.

Almost 80 players turned out for the inaugural Jase Nelson Golf Classic at Portarlington Golf Club, then another group went to the Geelong races on Friday – including for race seven, the Jase Nelson Memorial Cup – to continue spreading the joy and message.

Mr Nelson’s best friend, GWS chief executive Dave Matthews, said Jase was a “legendary mate” to everyone and that he would have been so proud at Portarlington to see his passions being followed.

Jase Nelson in 2022. Picture: Tony Gough

“The sad thing is he’d have loved to have been a part of it all, but if we can honour him and the causes he held dear, it’s the next best thing we can do,” Mr Matthews said.

Mr Nelson was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), a severe form of cancer, in 2022 that tragically claimed his life on at the age of 53.

When he was diagnosed with AML in May, 2022, Mr Nelson was approached to start a Lifeblood group, Team Long Live Jase Nelson.

Starting out, Mr Nelson hoped for 30 to 50 donations but the number soon swelled.

In December 2022, Mr Nelson managed to get around 450 donations from 110 donors, which he described at the time as “remarkable”.

In September this year, Mr Nelson passed away.

Team “Long Live Jase Nelson” is on the leaderboard at Lifeblood on Ryrie Street among the top donor groups in the Geelong region and it was one of Jase’s last wishes for that group to expand and continue this vitally important act and message.

The Geelong Donor Centre is located at 237-243 Ryrie St, Geelong.

Originally published as ‘Legendary Mate’: Footy legends pay tribute to Jase Nelson