A (Jayden) Short wait for a shot at flag redemptionAnthony Colangelo
The Age
16 Sept. 2018By the time grand final day rolled around Jayden Short had long moved past heartache.
He played from round two to 18 in Richmond's 2017 premiership season but didn't feature again after being dropped before round 19. He was desperately unlucky to miss a flag.
Bachar Houli came into the side for Short, the senior defender having served a four-game suspension for striking, with Brandon Ellis remaining as the Tigers' other rebounding half-back.
Asked if there was a moment on grand final day that he remembered hurting him the most – the 22-year-old was an emergency and warmed up with the team before putting on his suit and watching the Tigers beat Adelaide from the stands – Short said there wasn't, because he'd come to terms with his unfortunate predicament long before the big day.
That moment of acceptance was when he was dropped. Short knew he'd struggle to get back into the side, and he knew his teammates were onto something special.
"It was when I found myself out of the team and I saw the boys doing so well," Short told the Sunday Age. "They were tracking towards the final game and it was a great team that was hard to get yourself back into so I knew from that point on there was hard work to be done.
"I knew I had to improve, you know as a player when you need to do that so it was clear. Things needed to change. We had Bachar come in and he is a 200-game player, unbelievable backman. 'Dimma' [coach Damien Hardwick] sat me down and we spoke on where I could grow and he pinpointed areas to work on and I completely understood where he was coming from and why I was out of the team. That helped me so much, rather than leaving me in the lurch."
There are no demons lurking because of his miss. He's even watched a replay of the grand final twice at home and holds only positive memories of the day.
"It was great viewing ... it certainly motivated me," he said.
From there, Short attacked the 2018 pre-season. He had shoulder surgery and then made a point of following his housemate Kane Lambert everywhere he could and in everything he did to prepare for the club's back-to-back flag tilt. Short knew where he had to improve because Hardwick had been so clear with him. His goal the season before was to play every game, and he didn't, so it was his goal again in 2018.
"The consistency in my game, staying involved in games for longer had to get better," Short said. "Winning my own ball, a bit more fitness too.
"It was just having a bit of belief in myself. I did believe I was good enough but I probably didn't show it enough in games. I had to be more confident in games and know I was good enough.
"It was a little bit of getting my own contested ball too and doing it from there rather than waiting for other people to get it to me. You get more confident with it the more games you play; I am not the biggest guy but it is something I knew I could do."
This year the tables have turned. Ellis is the one who finds himself out of the side, dropped for the qualifying final win over Hawthorn. Short's season has been too good. He has been widely named by pundits as one of, if not, the most improved player in the competition.
The penetration and accuracy of his kicking is his most dangerous weapon. It was that particular skill set that led to him being trialled on the half-back line after he entered the AFL as a small forward.
"I was all for the switch to defence," he said. "Dimma said he wanted me at half-back and I believe in my kick and my skills so I thought, 'Geez, playing there I might be able to showcase my skills a bit more' and I went down there and played my natural game."
His 2018 statistics speak for themselves. The No.11 pick in the 2015 rookie draft ranks second in the AFL for effective long kicks behind Sydney's Jake Lloyd, and second for total effective kicks.
He also ranks first at Richmond for effective kicks, uncontested possessions, handball receives and rebound 50s. The defensive side of his game has been boosted this year too.
The Northern Knights product hasn't taken the time to reflect on his stellar season just yet, but said he has noticed the media praise coming his way and has used it, along with internal validation from his teammates, to keep his tail up.
"I have seen a few articles and stuff like that," Short said. "I try and embrace it as much as I can. I want to hear those things, when people say nice things about you. When I do see an article like that I will definitely read it but I don't seek it out. It is always good to hear people saying nice things, they're good to read when they're out there."
While there are no shortage of players in Richmond's formidable line-up to tag it is quite remarkable that Short is yet to garner such attention.
"I guess I am hoping it doesn't happen," he laughed. "I played as a defensive forward a bit myself in my first year, and now I am hoping no one will come to me. It hasn't happened yet, it's a bit harder to tag a half-back who just runs around and tries to get as much ball as they can.
"I have spoken to teammates about what I could do if it happened and it's just about playing to my strengths and keep working to as many contests that I can get to and hoping to still get my hands on the ball, that would obviously hurt a tagger but it isn't something I have put too much thought into. I just worry about getting out there and having as much fun as I can, and doing what I can for the team."
Short's first final was the qualifying final win over Hawthorn. The Tigers proved their doubters wrong – some believed they might have slowed – and demolished Alastair Clarkson's side.
"You hear that the pressure ramps up for finals and I sort of thought I should be fine but my first few possessions were a bit rushed and I felt a little bit pressured," he said. "Once the game went on I got more comfortable and I played my natural game and I wasn't worried about it being a final. I stuck to what I know and what I do."
https://www.watoday.com.au/sport/afl/a-jayden-short-wait-for-a-shot-at-flag-redemption-20180914-p503uc.html
