Neville Jetta

Playing career

Jetta was drafted by Melbourne with the 51st selection in the 2008 national draft. He had previously been playing with Swan Districts in the West Australian Football League (WAFL). In September 2008 he was awarded the Mel Whinnen Medal for being the best player in the Swans colts grand final win.

Both Jetta and fellow Melbourne draftee Jamie Bennell come from Bunbury and attended the same primary school. Jetta is the cousin of Lewis Jetta of the West Coast Eagles and also a distant cousin of Leroy Jetta, who played for Essendon.

Jetta and Bennell were both named to make their AFL debuts together in the opening round of the 2009 AFL season.

During the 2013 AFL season, Jetta fell out of favour at the Demons, playing only five games due to form and being unable to find a permanent position. This led to Jetta being delisted at the season's end. Due to the appointment of Paul Roos as senior coach, Jetta was provided with another chance and was redrafted as a rookie for the 2014 AFL season.

During the 2014 AFL season, Jetta was promoted to the senior list due to injuries to Jesse Hogan and Mitch Clark. Jetta cemented a spot in Melbourne's back six where he arguably played the best football of his career playing as a small defender, successfully negating small forwards such as Eddie Betts, Chad Wingard and Luke Dahlhaus.

In 2018, Jetta was awarded the Jim Stynes Community Leadership Award for his work supporting Indigenous youth through various school-based programs as well as his ambassador roles with Red Cross and Headspace.

Neville was the first Melbourne Football Club player to win the Jim Stynes Community Leadership Award, named in memory of Melbourne great Jim Stynes.

On 27 September 2021, Jetta announced his retirement from the AFL.

Coaching career

Following his retirement as a player, Jetta joined as a development coach.

On 8 October 2024, he was announced as the senior men's coach of the Fitzroy Stars Football Club for the 2025 Northern Football Netball League (NFNL) season.

Statistics

: Statistics are correct to the end of round 15, 2021

|- style="background:#eaeaea;" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2009 | | 39 || 15 || 7 || 8 || 115 || 64 || 179 || 43 || 39 || 0.5 || 0.5 || 7.7 || 4.3 || 11.9 || 2.9 || 2.6 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2010 | | 39 || 6 || 6 || 1 || 47 || 36 || 83 || 15 || 26 || 1.0 || 0.2 || 7.8 || 6.0 || 13.8 || 2.5 || 4.3 |- style="background:#eaeaea;" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2011 | | 39 || 9 || 5 || 3 || 56 || 64 || 120 || 34 || 42 || 0.6 || 0.3 || 6.2 || 7.1 || 13.3 || 3.8 || 4.7 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2012 | | 39 || 6 || 1 || 0 || 39 || 21 || 60 || 21 || 15 || 0.2 || 0.0 || 6.5 || 3.5 || 10.0 || 3.5 || 2.5 |- style="background:#eaeaea;" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2013 | | 39 || 5 || 0 || 1 || 26 || 18 || 44 || 9 || 20 || 0.0 || 0.2 || 5.2 || 3.6 || 8.8 || 1.8 || 4.0 |- ! scope=row style=text-align:center | 2014 | | 39 || 16 || 1 || 0 || 100 || 108 || 208 || 50 || 60 || 0.1 || 0.0 || 6.3 || 6.8 || 13.0 || 3.1 || 3.8 |- style="background:#eaeaea;" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2015 | | 39 || 16 || 1 || 0 || 76 || 116 || 192 || 43 || 41 || 0.1 || 0.0 || 4.7 || 7.3 || 12.0 || 2.7 || 2.6 |- ! scope=row style=text-align:center | 2016 | | 39 || 21 || 0 || 3 || 163 || 172 || 335 || 78 || 63 || 0.0 || 0.1 || 7.8 || 8.2 || 16.0 || 3.7 || 3.0 |- style="background:#eaeaea;" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2017 | | 39 || 22 || 3 || 0 || 151 || 164 || 315 || 94 || 68 || 0.1 || 0.0 || 6.9 || 7.5 || 14.4 || 4.3 || 3.1 |- ! scope=row style=text-align:center | 2018 | | 39 || 25 || 0 || 1 || 142 || 155 || 297 || 75 || 79 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 5.7 || 6.2 || 11.9 || 3.0 || 3.2 |- style="background:#eaeaea;" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2019 | | 39 || 7 || 0 || 0 || 39 || 36 || 75 || 19 || 20 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 5.6 || 5.1 || 10.7 || 2.7 || 2.9 |- ! scope=row style=text-align:center | 2020 | | 39 || 6 || 0 || 0 || 14 || 23 || 37 || 6 || 8 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 2.3 || 3.8 || 6.2 || 1.0 || 1.3 |- style="background:#eaeaea;" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2021 | | 39 || 5 || 0 || 0 || 20 || 20 || 40 || 13 || 7 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 4.0 || 4.0 || 8.0 || 2.6 || 1.4 |- class="sortbottom" ! colspan=3| Career ! 159 ! 24 ! 17 ! 988 ! 997 ! 1985 ! 500 ! 487 ! 0.2 ! 0.1 ! 6.2 ! 6.3 ! 12.5 ! 3.1 ! 3.1 |}

Personal life

Jetta has a daughter and a son. He married his partner Samantha on 20 October 2013.

References

References

1. Di Piertro, Kav. (2020-06-11). "'Nev's voice carries weight and people listen when he speaks'". [[AFL Players Association.
2. "Whinnen Medalists".
3. McFarlane, Glenn; [http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,24727137-19742,00.html Dees swoop on Nick Naitanui's mates]; 30 November 2008
4. Matthews, Bruce (27 March 2009); [http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/sport/afl/story/0,26633,25252069-5016215,00.html Kick it to me, Jamie Bennell]
5. "Community Leadership Award".
6. (27 September 2021). "Neville Jetta calls time on career in red and blue". [[Melbourne Football Club]].
7. (22 May 2024). "Coaching, playing, caring: Why Neville Jetta still gets a kick out of footy". AFL.com.au.
8. (8 October 2024). "SENIOR COACHING ANNOUNCEMENT". Fitzroy Stars Football & Netball Club.
9. "Neville Jetta". AFL Tables.
10. [http://www.easyweddings.com.au/real-weddings/melbourne-demon-marries-in-glam-vintage-wedding-at-red-scooter/ Melbourne Demon marries in glam vintage wedding at Red Scooter]