Heath Shephard
Encyclopedia
Heath Shephard is a former Australian rules football
er who played with Collingwood
and the Brisbane Bears
in the Victorian/Australian Football League
(VFL/AFL).
Shephard was drafted by Collingwood under the "Father-Son" rule
, as his Graeme
had played at the club in the early 1970s.
Although he grew up in Tasmania, he was playing at Victorian club Robinvale when Collingwood secured his services.
He had a memorable VFL debut, against the Brisbane Bears at Victoria Park
in the third round of the 1989 season
. His 18 disposals included five goals and five behinds. He kicked another two goals the following week but his form then dropped off and he finished the season with nine games to his name.
In 1990, Collingwood ended up breaking their premiership drought and Shephard, having played only twice that year, returned to Tasmania.
He spent the 1991 season with the Burnie Hawks
in the TFL Statewide League
and returned to the AFL the following year, joining Brisbane. Perhaps influenced by Shephard's debut performance, which had come against them, the Bears used the 65th selection of the national draft
to pick him up.
His stint in Brisbane was unsuccessful and he managed just four senior games. He continued playing football in Victoria and topped the goal-kicking for West Preston Lakeside
on three occasions.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er who played with Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
and the Brisbane Bears
Brisbane Bears
The Brisbane Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Bears was an Australian rules football club and the first Queensland-based club in the Victorian Football League . The club played its first match in 1987, but struggled on and off the field until it made the finals for the first time in 1995...
in the Victorian/Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(VFL/AFL).
Shephard was drafted by Collingwood under the "Father-Son" rule
Father-son rule
The father-son rule is a rule that allows clubs to select the sons of players who have made a major past contribution to the team in Australian rules football, most notably the Australian Football League...
, as his Graeme
Graeme Shephard
Graeme Shephard is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Collingwood in the Victorian Football League during the 1970s....
had played at the club in the early 1970s.
Although he grew up in Tasmania, he was playing at Victorian club Robinvale when Collingwood secured his services.
He had a memorable VFL debut, against the Brisbane Bears at Victoria Park
Victoria Park, Melbourne
Victoria Park is a sports venue in Abbotsford a suburb of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. Built for the purpose of both Australian rules football and cricket, the stadium is oval shaped....
in the third round of the 1989 season
1989 VFL season
-Notable events:* In Round 13, horrendous conditions at Windy Hill saw Essendon and Footscray play the lowest scoring game since the 1927 Grand Final, with the teams combining for only 6.15 ....
. His 18 disposals included five goals and five behinds. He kicked another two goals the following week but his form then dropped off and he finished the season with nine games to his name.
In 1990, Collingwood ended up breaking their premiership drought and Shephard, having played only twice that year, returned to Tasmania.
He spent the 1991 season with the Burnie Hawks
Burnie Hawks Football Club
The Burnie Hawks Football Club was an Australian rules football club based in Burnie, Tasmania, Australia from 1987 to 1994.The club was founded in 1987 after former NWFU club Cooee Bulldogs closed down its operation in order to wipe out its large debts and rebrand itself with a more...
in the TFL Statewide League
Tasmanian Football League
Tasmanian State League is the highest ranked Australian rules football league in Tasmania, Australia.The league has a long and convoluted history which dates back to its founding on 12 June 1879 Tasmanian State League (TSL) (formerly known as the Tasmanian Football League (TFL), Tasmanian...
and returned to the AFL the following year, joining Brisbane. Perhaps influenced by Shephard's debut performance, which had come against them, the Bears used the 65th selection of the national draft
1991 AFL Draft
- History :When the competition was known as the Victorian Football League , the league introduced the first incarnation of a draft system in 1981, where teams had two selections each of interstate players determined by reverse finishing position order...
to pick him up.
His stint in Brisbane was unsuccessful and he managed just four senior games. He continued playing football in Victoria and topped the goal-kicking for West Preston Lakeside
West Preston Lakeside Football Club
West Preston Lakeside Football Club is an Australian rules football club in Reservoir, Victoria, currently competing in the Northern Football League.The West Preston F.C. was formed in 1948 in the CYMS competition...
on three occasions.