Michael Jones

To win your association best and fairest award in senior colts and then follow it up the next season with the A grade medal is indeed a rare occurrence. Michael Jones won the 1987 Malseed Medal as a senior colt for Glencoe with 33 votes. The following year in his rookie season, he won the Mail Medal by ten votes from Robe’s Kym Smith.

Michael’s excellent start to his senior career was noted by Mid South East selectors who picked him to play against the Central Districts association. In 1989, the precociously talented Michael did it again, winning his third medal in as many seasons, with a second successive Mail Medal.

Michael, the son of six time Glencoe and Kalangadoo best and fairest Reg Jones, was still just a teenager and continued to improve his game and despite close checking was rarely beaten. An attacking player with a long accurate kick, using pinpoint handball to set up play, Michael became a star at interleague for the MSEFL, raising his game to a new level.

In 1991, Michael played in his first senior grand final and was a big part of Glencoe’s premiership success kicking two goals and finishing high in the best players. In 1992, Michael transferred to Kongorong and was a hot favourite for the medal. Disappointingly, he only polled 9 votes although he did win a club best & fairest. On a brighter note, Michael was selected to play for the SA Country Southern Zone team in a curtain raiser at Football Park prior to a state of origin game.

Michael decided to test himself in the Western Border league in 1993 when he joined East Gambier, a test he passed with flying colours by winning his third Mail medal. Always keen to get more out of himself and the game, Michael was appointed captain coach of Penola in 1995. While Penola had an average year, Michael led from the front and won yet another club best and fairest award. Michael was keen to continue his coaching career and was appointed senior coach at Millicent for the 1996 season. Millicent finished outside the top eight with 8 wins and 10 losses. Michael finished runner up in the WBFL Mail Medal and added another club best & fairest to his collection.

Michael returned to the Mid South East league in 1998, this time representing Kalangadoo. The classy centreman was seldom beaten during the season, finishing third in the Mail Medal Michael picked up another best and fairest award. During his two seasons with Kalangadoo, they played off in grand finals but unfortunately lost both by less than ten points. Michael gave everything in the 1999 final defeat to be clearly Kalangadoo’s best player.

2001 was something of a homecoming with Michael back at Glencoe, he won the club’s best and fairest four years in a row from 2001-2004. In 2002, Michael was runner up for the MSEFL Mail Medal, which saw him also claim the Walker Medal. He was appointed captain in 2003 and led Glencoe to the grand final, the Murphies took the game up to Robe but were outscored in the second half. Michael was valiant in defeat being named fourth best. Michael was runner up for the second year in a row for the MSEFL Mail Medal behind his former Kalangadoo teammate Brian Casey. Michael won the Walker Medal again and was named in the centre for the MSEFL ‘Team of the Year’.

Michael was on the move again in 2007 heading back to the Western Border league with South Gambier. In 2009, Michael decided on another change of clubs, which would see him play in Victoria with Dartmoor. The move over the border saw Michael chalk up another best and fairest award. Interestingly he pipped a 16 year old rising star for the award in Jeremy Cameron who would eventually end up at the GWS Giants, who were tipped off by Michael.

Michael played out the rest of his career with Kalangadoo rejoining them in 2010. Not prepared to just make up the numbers in the twilight of his career, Michael added two more best and fairest awards to his already impressive total. In 2013, Michael lived one of the great highlights of any player’s career when his son Tyler made his A grade debut with his father as a teammate. Young Tyler starred with three goals and named fourth best for Kalangadoo in their five point win over Robe, Dad wasn’t bad either being named 5th best.

Michael’s final season of football with Kalangadoo was truly a fairy tale finish to a great football career. At 43 years of age, Michael was privileged to play alongside his son Tyler as Kalangadoo won the premiership in a real ‘rags to riches’ story. The outstanding career of Michael Jones realised sixteen best and fairest awards (Glencoe 7, East Gambier 2, Kalangadoo 3, Kongorong 1, Penola 1, Millicent 1 and one with Victorian club Dartmoor). Although retired from football Michael has kept himself physically active. In 2015, he won a silver medal in Boxing at the Australian Masters Games in the 81-91kg heavy weight class held at the Adelaide Convention Centre.