The Penrith Rams would like to congratulate Jay Edwards on playing his 200th game for the club last Saturday. Jay becomes the 16th player to achieve the feat and the second this season (after Lachlan Smith in Round 1).
Jay played his junior football with the (then) Penrith Swans, which had been the only junior AFL club in the area until the formation of the GWFA (now Greater Sydney Juniors Western Sydney) in 2000.
Jay started with the Rams Under 18s in 2001. He formed part of a formidable undefeated premiership winning side that year. The side then backed up in 2002 and overcame an imposing opponent in Wollongong to make it two flags in a row.
Having tasted senior football when playing Under 18s, Jay transferred seamlessly to the Rams senior side in 2003. In 2005 he played in the Rams' first senior final for five years and also finished runner-up in the Senior Grade Best and Fairest.
In 2008, Jay played for the Sydney AFL First Division representative side. The following season, he (and Dale Chivas) decided to test themselves at the top level of Sydney football and transferred to (then) premier division club Campbelltown.
After two seasons away, Jay and Dale returned to the Rams in 2011 to help the club win its first senior grade premiership in 20 years. In the following four seasons, Jay has formed an integral part of the Rams top side, playing principally in defence.
The club didn't seem the same at the start of the 2016 season, when Jay decided to take a break from the game. But the feet started getting itchy, and he returned to the fold as a last minute call-up to Senior Grade's game against Western Suburbs. Unfortunately his 200th game the following weekend didn't return the result he would have wanted, but that is just a blip on the radar of a wonderful career.
Jay is an extremely talented player, who reads the play well and has seemingly effortless pace across the ground. Before playing in defence, he spent his time in the midfield and was a very handy goalkicker. He has had a decorated career with the club, but has never managed to take out the Michael Walker Medal - finishing runner-up on four occasions.
(It should also be mentioned that Jay holds the record for having played in the most Rams premierships - 3).
Thanks for your contribution to the club Jay from everyone at the Rams.
GAMES - 200 (Senior Grade 166, Reserve Grade 8, Third Grade 1, U18 Grade 25)
GOALS - 77 (Senior Grade 52, Reserve Grade 3, Third Grade 2, U18 Grade 20)
CLUB ACHIEVEMENTS (SENIOR GRADE UNLESS NOTED)
Premiership Player - 2001 (U18), 2002 (U18) & 2011.
Players' Player - 2004, 2005, 2008 & 2012.
Best & Fairest R/Up - 2005, 2012, 2013 & 2015.
Most Consistent Player - 2004, 2011 & 2013.
REPRESENTATIVE ACHIEVEMENTS
Sydney AFL First Division Rep Player - 2008
(Thanks to Christian Triffitt for providing the photo).
List of 200 game Penrith Rams players is on this page:
Penrith Rams Games Records
Last Modified on 25/06/2016 18:34