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BULLDOGS ROYALTY BY PETER ARGENT
Central District coach Paul Thomas describes Jarrod Schiller as a “super tough player” and there will be further proof of that on Saturday as he becomes just the ninth Bulldog to reach 250 games in the club’s 60 years of league footy. The inspirational skipper has already carved a major place in Central’s history, he and younger brother Travis record three-time winners of the Norm Russell Medal for best and fairest. Schiller, who made his league debut against Norwood at the Ponderosa in 2010 when the Bulldogs were dominating the SANFL, follows in the footsteps of Peter Vivian (308), Peter Beythien (285), Rene van Dommele (273), Thomas (269), Brian Haraida (268), Trevor Roe (262) Mark Prior (261) and Roger Girdham (255) to the remarkable milestone. In his first full season of league footy in 2011 he became the first of Central’s record six SANFL Powerade Breakthrough Player award winners as the competition’s standout emerging young talent, Travis winning it in 2013. Jarrod was changing on the half-back flank with his then captain and now coach Thomas on the fateful October day at Football Park when the Bulldogs fell just three points
short of a 10th league premiership. From the Barossa township of Nuriootpa, Schiller won back-toback junior flags with the Tigers in 2007-08, playing in an under-15 premiership with Travis in 2008. Both siblings played in the SA State under-18s programs, Jarrod in 2010 alongside Brodie Smith, Chad Wingard, Sam Gray, Scott Lycett and Sam Day, and each has represented SANFL at senior State level. “Travis (who is now travelling through Europe) and I would have played about 130 games together,” Jarrod said. “It was special to play league football alongside my brother.” He is proud to achieve the 250-game milestone and to have played for as long as he has. “From the time I started at senior level under (seven-time premiership coach) Roy Laird it was instilled in me about consistency. I was never one of those explosive types of footballers but my workrate and ability to be used in a variety of roles has helped my longevity. When you reflect that I started playing under-17s at Central District two decades ago, it has been a fair chunk of my life.” Thomas said it was “awesome” to still have Schiller in Bulldogs ranks, “a strong role model who
Jarrod Schiller as a Central District young gun in 2012 and leading the way as inspirational Bulldogs skipper 12 years later.
can explain to his peers the workload required to get deep into a finals campaign. He was just three points away from being a premiership player and it would be great for him to get a medallion before he finishes”. Schiller said: “Whether I’m a premiership player or not won’t define me as a footballer but we’re aiming for a top-three finish and the footy gods will take it from that point.” A physiotherapist, Schiller has found a way to balance work, footy and family for 15 years and he and wife Alexa have moved into parenthood with nine-month-old joy Aria. “I’ve grown up at this football club and it’s been a big part of mine and Alexa’s life.” Thomas handed Schiller the Bulldogs’ co-captaincy in 2021 alongside Luke Habel when he took over the coaching reins. Described by Thomas as an “action-based leader” he has been sole skipper over the past three seasons. “Jarrod can play heaps of roles and has always been a resilient, team-first footballer,” Thomas said. “I remember on Anzac Day 2011 against Norwood when he tagged Nathan Eagleton out of the game. That was his coming-of-age match.” sanfl.com.au
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