True Blue: Special milestone for two-time premiership player

Two-time premiership player Jed Turland will celebrate the feat against arch rival South Warrnambool at Reid Oval on Saturday, June 15.

Turland, 30, loves pulling on the club's famous navy blue guernsey and these days is happy to play whatever role is required, whether it's in the seniors or reserves.

He started the 2024 season in the seconds before earning a recall and has gone on to kick nine goals from six games.

"It is pretty special, you spend your whole life there and to get an individual milestone as part of a team sport is a bit of hard work paying off over the years," he said.

Turland said the depth at the Blues' disposal was "a good sign for the club".

"You need those other blokes pushing the senior side. I am not going to be there forever so I have got no dramas playing reserves football," he said.

"It is just good to get to the (senior) milestone because at the start of the year I was worried I might not be able to get there."

Turland, who played in the Blues' 2012 and '13 premiership sides, credited a dedicated pre-season for his contribution this year.

"I've felt like my form's been good. I did a fair bit of work in the off-season. I joined up to BFT and was doing a lot of fitness so I could give myself every chance to play," he said.

Warrnambool coach Dan O'Keefe praised Turland for his strong mindset.

"Jed has brought some serious resilience. Both years I have coached he hasn't started in the seniors in round one but through good form he's found himself in the seniors pretty quickly and then been able to hold his spot," he said.

"His voice and communication is really strong on game day and arguably one of the best we've got, even to the point where when he's having a rest on the bench he's still very loud and open with his voice and encouraging of others.

"He bleeds blue. He's always there to have his mates' backs."

Turland, who is dad to Leo, 4, and Vivienne, 2, is the oldest of four brothers to play senior football for Warrnambool.

He is currently in the team alongside Jye while Beau and Noah have represented the club in the past too.

"Jye might get 200 - I think he's only got seven or eight games to go - so he'll hopefully get his later on in the year," Turland said.

"I have two young kids now - I have a little boy who is four and it's just good to play footy with him in the little number 19 jumper on during the games.

"I sort of remember my dad vaguely playing footy so hopefully I can play for a few more years and he (Leo) can remember me."

Warrnambool has welcomed back firepower, bringing in former AFL duo Aaron Black and Ben Cunnington as well as hard-running midfielder Darcy Graham.

"Cunnington and Blacky coming in to what we feel is an already dangerous forward line is exciting for us," O'Keefe said.

"We've been rolling our midfield group through the forward line so I guess we could make space that way and give our midfielders more midfield minutes."

Riley Holloway, Angus Lowe and Rhys Jansen van Beek have also been named among an extended bench.

Teenagers Reggie Mast and Sam Niklaus return to Coates Talent League side GWV Rebels while Dan Weymouth is out with injury and Ryan Warfe has been omitted.

South Warrnambool has boosted its attack with VFL-listed small forward Will White, who has been playing for Carlton, back in because of its bye.

Fellow premiership players Paddy Anderson, Harry Lee and Dan Nicholson also return.

"I feel their team is really strong for this weekend and if you're going to play the top team, you want to play them at their best," O'Keefe said.

Josh Saunders (work), Nick Thompson (away), Trent Williamson (away) and Bailey Osborne (under 18) are the Roosters' outs.