After injuries, sickness, a train-on experience without reward and countless hours of dedication, Shepparton’s Jake Watts can finally claim he is a VFL player.
Watts made his long-awaited debut on Saturday night for Collingwood, alongside four other Goulburn Valley League products, while the opponent, Carlton, also boasted two talents from the GVL.
The Bears winger spoke with The News in 2024 about his lengthy battle with glandular fever in 2023, plus how he dealt with an ill-timed hamstring tear late in the year.
At that time, Watts was a train-on player with Essendon’s VFL squad, but didn’t manage to crack selection and don the sash for a home and away game.
Since then, the Shepparton talent has trained across town with Collingwood and was finally rewarded for his eye-catching GVL form, where he has averaged 23.7 disposals and a goal a game this season.
Watts’ golden locks were in full flight across half-back and the wing for the Pies, with the dashing Bear recording 12 disposals and six marks in the four-point loss.
While fellow Shepparton product and VFL-listed Magpie Ned Byrne was not selected for round 15, Seymour’s Riley Mason and Mansfield siblings Harry and Max Mahoney also featured in the state league clash.
Mason had three scoring shots for a return of one goal and two behinds, while Max Mahoney also slotted a major and collected 18 disposals and eight marks in what was arguably a season-best display from the Eagle.
Older brother Harry Mahoney had 14 touches and five marks in the IKON Park Saturday night clash.
On the winning side, Shepparton Swans young gun Oliver Warburton grew his wings after a quiet club debut, recording 19 possessions and five marks for the Blues in his second appearance.
Euroa product Will Hayes, not to be confused with his namesake AFL-listed opponent, recorded a near game-high 28 disposals, perfectly reading an inside 50 stoppage hit-out to snag a goal in the second term too.
Across the competition, Shepparton’s Matt Whitlock continued to make progress in his development as a key tall, recording 17 disposals in North Melbourne’s 16-point loss to Footscray.
Girgarre and Tatura local Brayden George also took part and finished with six tackles.
Strathmerton’s Louis Pinnuck and Shepparton United’s Angus Hicks featured in Werribee’s loss to GWS at Melbourne Avalon Airport Oval.
The 2024 premiership Bees were buzzing around the contest nevertheless, with Pinnuck recording 31 disposals and Hicks scoring a goal to boot with his 15 possessions.
Meanwhile, ex-Mooroopna key forward Daniel Johnston opened his 2025 account for Coburg and delivered with immediate impact.
Johnston slotted three goals in the three-point win, including the match-winner from a set shot on the cusp of the 50m arc six minutes before the final siren sounded.
Additionally, former Bear Harry Boyd continued his stint at VFL level with Sandringham, recording 18 hit-outs in the club’s loss to ladder-leader Box Hill.