Peel coach wishes Jones had chance for career highlightTuesday, May 20, 2014 - 1:32 PM - by Chris Pike

PEEL Thunder coach Cam Shepherd is delighted that Brendon Jones has played on again in 2014 and he has continued the outstanding form he has shown his entire career, but is disappointed he hasn’t been offered a chance for what would be the highlight of his career.

Jones originally retired at the end of the 2013 season, but soon changed his mind and based on his form so far in 2014 it clearly has been the right decision.

The 28-year-old has been Peel's best and most consistent player throughout the first eight games of the season averaging 25.5 possessions a game with his consistency the highlighted with his season low being just 20 disposals in Round 6 against Claremont.

Jones continues to be one of the hardest working midfielders in the competition who not only racks up plenty of the ball, but generally uses it well, works hard all day long and is an outstanding leader.

He might not be captain after four years in charge at Peel, but remains the natural on-field leader of a group that broke through for its first win last Saturday against South Fremantle at Bendigo Bank Stadium.

Despite Peel's partnership with Fremantle, the Thunder possess by far the youngest group in the WAFL week after week, and as a result Jones' leadership and leading by example is crucial to the team's development.

Jones has now had an outstanding career stretching over 186 matches at both Perth and Peel Thunder with him winning fairest and best awards at clubs.

However, neither club has played finals football in his career so he has never had the chance to experience that.

He also has never had the chance to represent Western Australia and his coach Shepherd is disappointed firstly that he wasn’t asked by the state selectors for his thoughts, and secondly that Jones hasn’t been included in the squad to face the NEAFL at Blacktown in Sydney this Saturday.

"He is a quality person and a quality player, and has been for a long time. We are really pleased that he's playing for us this year and his attitude has been wonderful," Shepherd said.

"I don’t understand it and if I had been asked by the state selectors, I certainly would have been indicating that he is a standout player in the competition and should be representing the state, which he would love to do because he never has done it.

"But I wasn’t asked. Our stance is simple and that's that Brendon Jones is in the top players in this competition and should be in the state side."

Back in 2012 when WA took on South Australia in Adelaide, Craig Wulff was picked not only to play for the WAFL State side but to be its captain in his first appearance in a Black Swans jumper.

Given he had played 190 WAFL matches up to that point, it was a tremendous reward for his passion and dedication, and consistency over a long career.

Shepherd has no doubt that if Jones was picked to play for WA that it would be a similar feel good story, and would also provide him with his career highlight.

"I would liken it to when Craig Wulff a couple of years ago got his first chance to play for the state and that meant an enormous amount to him, and that showed in how he performed. I would think that Brendon Jones would be very similar," Shepherd said.