‘Very exciting time’: Bunbury’s Neville Jetta says grand final a reward for ‘tough times’ at Melbourne

He might have endured his fair share of “tough times” during his early days at Melbourne, but the football story of Bunbury’s Neville Jetta is about to be brought full-circle. The fresh-faced youngster who walked through the doors in 2008 and waited a full decade to even play a final with the Demons is now part of a group on the brink of snapping the league’s longest premiership drought. Jetta, his teammates and the club’s ardent supporter base have been made to stay patient, but if they win on Saturday, the wait will finally be over. “Coming over at the end of 2008 and then to go through what we went through, up until probably 2018, was tough times,” he told the South Western Times. “This time it’s about going out, enjoying the moment and preparing the best we can, so we look back on this time and be able to say we have done everything we possibly can to have a fair crack at it and bring success to our football club and everyone involved. “That’s our past players, who are diehard Demons and have been on the journey as well as the members who have kept the faith and continued to support us week after week, year after year. “It’s pretty special to see their faces and see how proud they are. “It is a very, very exciting time for our footy club.” But like fabled teammate and former captain Nathan Jones, Jetta has been forced out of the side by a brigade of young players and smart recruits who have taken the Demons to the top in 2021. He managed only five games this season, and hasn’t featured since round 10. A fairytale grand final appearance in front of family and friends in his home State seems unlikely, but Jetta says it hasn’t changed the way he is preparing. “The players right now are making sure we don’t take it for granted,” he said. “I am here to help as much as I can, to prepare the boys to be ready to perform. “I’ll be having a positive impact and we’ll be making sure as a group the boys that aren’t playing are doing as much as we can to be ready if we’re called upon. “As we’ve seen in the last few weeks, anything can happen during training and you need to be ready and good to go.” Their extended stay in Perth has meant the Demons have seen out the extent of their quarantine restrictions and are free to roam, which Jetta has taken advantage of — making a quick trip to the South West last week. “We obviously completed our 14-day quarantine and then it gives us the freedom to move,” he said. “The boys are loving getting out and being able to absorb Perth a bit, but we are mindful that we are in a pretty unique situation as a Melbourne-based team. “We are very cautious because we don’t want to be seen as if we are on holiday at all. Right now I am pretty privileged to be able to go and see mum and dad on our off days given what has been happening in Melbourne.”