TRENT Shinners is now at his third VFL club, but he’s no gypsy.
It’s not as if Shinners has simply hitched up the caravan every three years and moved on.
Far from it. Shinners, who this weekend plays his 100th VFL game, notes that each of his moves – from Frankston to Bendigo Bombers to Essendon – was predicated by study, work and opportunity.
After he finished with TAC Cup club Dandenong Stingrays, Shinners spent three enjoyable years at the Dolphins, first under Brett Lovett and then Shannon Grant.
It was an invitation by Grant when he moved to coach the VFL Bombers that saw Shinners follow.
“I got on pretty well with ‘Shagger’ (Grant) and he gave me a chance to play in an alignment in an AFL environment,” Shinners said.
It proved a good fit as at the time Shinners was attending University in the city. Commuting to Windy Hill for training was far easier than trekking back to the Peninsula, as a Melbourne-based Bendigo Bombers player who would travel to Bendigo on game day.
And, with his university degree behind him and with a job at hand, Shinners said it was more practical for him to play with a Melbourne-based club given the Bendigo /Essendon alignment had finished.
It helped that he knew the Essendon players as well as the fact former Bendigo teammate Matthew Little had taken over as the Bombers’ VFL General Manager and Bendigo coach Hayden Skipworth had taken over as Essendon’s new VFL coach.
As Shinners views it, he’s been fortunate to have good memories wherever he’s played.
Twice he played in a final series with Frankston, including the Dolphins’ banner season in 2008 when they were minutes away from a Preliminary Final when Williamstown’s Callum Urch kicked a miraculous goal to sink them.
At Bendigo, Shinners took his game to new heights, so much so that he was selected to represent the VFL against Tasmania.
And, that was on top of co-captaining the club for two seasons with Ben Duscher.
“You could say ‘I’ve played for three clubs, but it’s got more to do with my study and work situation,” Shinners said.
While season 2013 seems more volatile in terms of results, Shinners has no doubt that Essendon can feature prominently.
“I think we have a really strong VFL list,” he said.
“I really don’t think we’re far away.”
After playing finals at Frankston and Bendigo, Trent Shinners hopes he can add a finals campaign at Essendon to his CV.
Last Modified on 07/06/2013 09:34