Jono graduated Marcellin in 2006 and made his debut for the Old Collegians in 2007 for the U/19 Premier side. His ability was obvious from the first match that he played for the club and he quickly became a permanent starting member of the Senior team.

His 2010 season in the A Grade of Seniors was excellent as he was named in the best players 11 out of 15 times. He has only got better ever since. From when he started playing, Jono has always set high standards for himself and he consistently meets them every week. Whether it’s his preparation through training or his pre and post-match diet, Jono always sets the example for the rest of the players to follow.

Everyone at the club knows how good Jono’s fitness and running ability are. He is always leading the running drills during pre-season and has done so since he arrived at the club. His fitness is very evident during matches as he gets to every contest to help out his teammates, whether it is winning contested possessions at will or using his sublime skills to hit his targets by hand or foot. When Jono has the ball you know that another Marcellin player will end up with it. He is extremely tough, always competes fiercely and he can be relied upon to consistently win the footy even when he is outnumbered. Jono displays the true Marcellin spirit whenever he plays and he is always the first player to fly the flag for his teammates when required, something that we all appreciate. He always displays a team first approach to his footy and that is why is he is a highly valued teammate.

Jono’s leadership ability has developed through the years. He leads by example on the field with his actions and he has become more vocal in recent seasons. This has been vital to ensure the development of the players around him and I know his thoughts and feedback are highly respected amongst not only the playing group, but the coaching staff also. This has resulted in him being Senior Captain for the majority of 2015 and 2016 seasons whilst Jarrod Carlson has been fighting injuries.

Jono has accumulated numerous individual awards during his career with it all beginning in 2009 where he was named the Club’s Rising Eagle. The awards continued for Jono as he made VAFA Team of the Year in 2008, 2013, 2014 and 2015. He also claimed his first Club Senior Best and Fairest 2015 and was a Runner-Up in 2010, 2013 and 2014. The achievements didn’t stop there; Jono also represented the Big V in 2012 and has finished in the top 10 of the VAFA League voting for the past two seasons.

Away from football Jono works extremely hard at MicroCloud – the family business and is extremely committed to his family and friends, something which we all admire.

Jono, not only has it been an honour and a privilege to run out alongside you for over 10 years, it has been fantastic to play right beside you each week in the middle. I have seen your talent and hard work up close and you are someone that we all strive to emulate because of the way you play.

Everyone associated with the club wishes you the very best in your 150th game. Good luck mate, we know you will play well and we all hope we can get the win for you, especially against Old Ivanhoe.

Happy 150th Jono,

Ash Viney