The CoodabeenChampions Quality Street
20 April 2002
Footballers always talk about pressure. The onus of consistent high level performance. One player's career was defined by three levels of expectation. Played at Collingwood, had red hair and wore the number 22, used by Bob Rose and John Greening and Tony Shaw. We're talking about Jason Wild.
Jase had an unusual background for a Magpie. Chalked up 70 games at NSW country team Collingullie-Ashmont. So the Colling prefix made sense. The Vic Parkers picked up the mid sizer with 1993 national draft pick 39 in exchange for Craig Starcevich and Troy Lehmann shifting to Brisbane.
Wild had a decent shape. 182 centimetres and 78 kilos. It looked as if he could handle the 1000 pounds to the square inch of the midfield, under the heavy hammer from big full strength defenders plus the burdensome task of running with a designated opponent. Numero 22 made his senior debut during 1995. The Dockers made their first trip to the Abbotford furnace for round 8. Collingwood supporters on the corner of Hoddle and Johnston Streets gave the occupants of the Freo bus some cordial expletives. The men from WA were intimidated before they even set foot on the arena. In that game Wild did well. Halfway through the second he slipped forward and goaled from 35 using an ugly flat punt. 20 minutes into the third Wild ran hard for 40 metres to tackle Andrew Wills. The resulting turnover presented a goal to Paul Williams. Team mates mobbed the Wild man. The last stanza. JW led and marked and played on for an aesthetically pleasing major. Pies home 20.11 to 14.9.
1996. Wild transferred the compressed air from himself to adversaries. Round 12 versus the Blues at he MCG. J ran with Clape and ran off him. 10 minutes into the first he left the Carlton forward in his wake. Pounced on a loose ball and squared to Willo. Set shot goal from 25. Wild went back to keep the defensive Boston crab on Clape. 25 minutes into the third Jasy received a handpass at half forward. Kept going and goaled at full speed. Yet The Blues prevailed 17.14 to 14.11.
Round 18 against St Kilda at Police Road Park. A physical affair. Monkhorst and Spider swapped bombs. Wildy rotated on the dangerous Harvey and Joel Smith. As burdensome a job as moving a piano up four flights of steps. The blood head stuck to his assignment. 20 minutes into the last Wild popped up in the forward pocket and snapped the ball over his left shoulder. A freak goal. But the Saints won 13.10 to 11.12.
On to 1997. The guy from the double two ranch continued solid form. Round 9. Sydney under lights at the SCG. Red and white match ups were thrown into chaos by Wild starting up forward. He kicked goals in the second and third. His efforts were not enough. Plugger and O'Loughlin three majors each. Swans victorious. 16.15 to 11.8. Round 2 1998. A night game against West Coast at Subiaco. Wild kept Schofield under the pump. Scragged and gave no easy possessions. Jaso took two courageous marks running back with the flight of the ball. The Eagles won 17.14 to 8.8.
Jason Wild had some injury problems in 1998. However managed 7 games in '99. He was delisted at the end of of that season. All up 69 games.
Over his career Jason Wild proved he could withstand life inside the football turbo charger.