Jesse Sheppard makes history!

300 Games of Grit, Loyalty and Love for the Brown and Gold

Saturday, June 14, 2025 marked a historic moment for the Woodend Hesket Football Netball Club - a moment 47 years in the making. Local legend Jesse Sheppard became the first-ever WHFNC player to reach 300 club games since the Club’s amalgamation in 1978.

A born and bred Woodend local, Jesse’s football journey is as homegrown as it gets. From his early days at Woodend Primary School, through to Kyneton Secondary College, Jesse was always a Hawk in the making. After finishing school, he went on to complete a carpentry apprenticeship with a local builder, laying the foundations - quite literally - for both a career and a life grounded in community.

Jesse married his partner Bianca, and together they’re raising two beautiful kids - continuing the Sheppard family tradition of love, hard work and commitment to local life. His biggest supporters - his proud parents - have long been familiar faces around the club and have owned the local Smash Repairs for years. Their unwavering support of both Jesse and the club has been a quiet but powerful force behind his longevity and legacy.

From pulling on the jumper as an Under 18 in 2005, to running out for over 200 senior games, Jesse has been the very heartbeat of our club. His leadership speaks for itself:

  • 156 consecutive senior games

  • Senior Captain 2011–2015

  • Under 18s Captain in 2007

  • Life Member

  • True Club Man

Tough. Uncompromising. Fearless. Jesse is the kind of player teammates rally behind. He gives 100% - every season, every game, every quarter - no matter the scoreboard. And that consistency, that unconditional effort, has been the backbone of our club for two decades.

But what truly sets Jesse apart is loyalty. To stick with a grassroots club through the ups and downs - the hard winters, the rebuilds, the near-wins - that takes more than talent. It takes character. Jesse’s dedication to WHFNC through thick and thin is a shining example of what it means to be a Hawk.

On June 14, surrounded by family, teammates past and present, and the community who’ve cheered him on since day one, Jesse added his name to club history. And he did it in style - kicking 2 goals in the Reserves to cap off an unforgettable day.

Jesse Sheppard, 300 games - a Hawk through and through.

From all of us at WHFNC, congratulations on making history. You are not only a champion of our club, but a role model for our community. Here’s to many more memories in the brown and gold.

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