Strap yourself in Blackers, this is going to be a big one… Fair warning to all and sundry who will answer the call to watch the mighty Uni Blacks at 2pm this Saturday, 23rd of August 2025 at University Main Oval. If there wasn’t already enough anticipation about for the last home game of the season, James Green Medal Day, three Premiership reunions and a luncheon with Dipper, this may just tip you over the edge.
University Blacks 11-year veteran, Joel “Jets” Ernest plays his 150th match this Saturday. Yes, you read that correctly; 11 years of involvement and 150 games. You may be forgiven for wondering “really? This must be a typo, surely it is not Jets bringing up his 150 this weekend. His 100th was only a season or two ago?” But yes, Jets does indeed play his 150th this Saturday – and by darn we are proud of him. You would be correct in recalling that Joel did bring up his triple figure milestone in April 2023 – 50 games ago on the Blacks calendar to be precise.
Indeed, after such a long battle filled with challenges and adversity - the pure roller-coaster of ups and downs that football can be - Joel has managed to do the complete opposite of his first 10 seasons at the Club, and that is play full 18-game seasons consecutively for the first time in his career. There would not be any other player on the Blacks list that does not deserve this milestone more and deserves to have a solid, uninterrupted crack at A grade footy, after having given his all to the Club over a long period of time throughout the back end of the 2010s, and the Covid years.
Given the theme so far of this milestone is re-writing the narrative, we are breaking ground here in becoming the first Blacks milestone tribute article to reference itself, by directing readers to catch up on Joel’s journey in his first 100 games, which can be found by clicking here: https://www.uniblacks.org.au/news/2023/april/jets-hits-his-century-in-season-number-10/
Finished with that read? Good. Because it is important to understand the context of this milestone against the individual roller-coaster Jets has travelled on to get to this point. How many players when faced with similar challenges would have thrown the towel in by now and said “I’ve had enough of this ride, time to get off”? Something tells us that for Joel, getting off the ride has never crossed his mind.
On field, Jets’ ride involves being part of the drought breaking 2014 Senior premiership A Grade flag as a 19 year old rookie, countless hamstring injuries (literally, we lost count), a bright spot season in 2017 finishing 3rd in the Cordner amidst a relegation year for the 1s, debuting for Richmond in the VFL during the peak of their AFL powerhouse days, returning to the Main only to be kept off the field again by the pandemic, and now into an amazing chapter of consistency.
By any measure, Jets is an amazing player. Speed to burn, a damaging kick, vision for running lanes, a footy IQ off the charts, and selfless, team first decision-making front of mind every time he steps on the field. All the tangibles and intangibles that lead to a Bonafide A grade player. It is against this high benchmark that we think it is not even controversial to say, it isn’t his on-field feats that Joel has built his legacy on. It is his off-field behaviour and commitment that fuels our sense of knowing “we got lucky” to have Joel join us in 2014.
Off-field, the Club is deeply indebted to Joel for the stewardship of our culture within the playing group that he has displayed year after year, game after game, training session after training session. Jets quite simply is (in this writer’s humble opinion and experience) one of the finest representatives of the Blacks and the culture the Club represents. Joel is the sort of person that every football club from the Tiwi Islands to Glenorchy would desire to have in their ranks – considerate, calm, engaging, skilled, respectful, professional and above all, an amazing friend.
Jordan Quaile, (former Cordner Medallist, Captain and 2014 Reserves Premiership player and fellow member of the 2014 super-draft of Under 19s with Joel) pointed out during the week when reflecting on his great mate, that not only is the 150 game milestone incredible on its own, but that many other recruits have likely ended up having an amazing career at the Club thanks to Joel’s influence. Joel always makes new players feel at home at the Blacks, finding a way to engage with anyone on any conversation topic and making them feel genuinely heard and cared about.
Need someone to buddy up with a new player for their first training session at the Main? Jets will do it. The recruiting committee need to bring a current player along to a meeting with prospective players and help sell the Club? Jets will do it. Need someone to help drive player contributions to Arvo tea? Jets will do it. The Club needs a chop out on the Committee to help spread the load with organising events? Jets will do it. Need someone to chat to a new friend or partner who is down at the Blacks for the first time and finding things a bit daunting? Jets will do it. Need to smooth things over with the Clyde staff when things maybe are getting a bit too rowdy? Jets will do it.
These actions add up over time and help speak to the quality of Joel’s character. This roller-coaster has thrown all sorts of challenges at him over the journey but standing the test of time is Joel’s calm, composed quality of character. His teammates love this about him – not one to get wildly swept up in emotion or short-term sugar hits, Jets will be there, doing his thing, earning the respect of his friends and opponents, week after week.
This author would also go as far to offer unsolicited advice to our younger players reading this, and propose that if in life, or in football, you are confronted with a problem or challenge, and you aren’t quite sure what to do, where to turn, or how to respond – ask yourself this simple question: what would Jets do? And with a 99% or money back guarantee, your answer to that question would be a sure bet of leading you in the right direction. A teammate saying a bad word about him, you would not find because there are none, Joel Ernest is a Blacker from the top shelf, on and off the field in just about aspect. This Saturday we get to appreciate for the last time at home in 2025, a Blacks legend doing what makes him happiest, and bloody hell if that doesn’t get you pumped in return then nothing will.
Good luck tomorrow Joel, this is so richly deserved for you, and we are so grateful for you to be part of our Club.
And without further risking censure from Jets himself asking for login details to the Blacks website to cut down this piece, we will leave you with a very Jets-esque Q and A, not that we are surprised in the slightest at the sincerity or detail provided by him, as it is the only way Jets knows how!
Q: It feels like yesterday that we were sitting down to speak ahead of your 100th game milestone – that milestone took 10 years to bring up given VFL commitments / injuries. Your most recent 49 games have been achieved in 50 possible footy weeks. Quite remarkable, what do you attribute this to? What has changed?
A: Good to be back on the Q&A! I agree, first time in a while that I’ve had a good run at it. Just did a very rare 1-week hamstring injury, which maybe I can put down to strong experience with hamstring recovery. For longevity though – not needing to be the fastest on the field has helped! Hard to apply given the nickname, but for me, running at 100% is saved for essential moments. Instead, I need to get to work early on the field, and the move to the wing has certainly helped with that.
Q: Any changes to your pre-match routine since 2023? How about post-match?
A: Nothing major has changed – I have been diligent with training and gameday prep. Am starting the matchday warm up earlier and earlier. On the one occasion after our win vs De La away this year, I ran a couple of cooldown laps as I had seen my veteran teammate (Jarrad Calson) do in the past. This may have led me to feeling good for a memorable performance at home vs SKOB the next week…
Q: How have you viewed the team’s and your own overall performance in 2025?
A: It has been a little mixed but certainly a positive and a step in the right direction. We obviously started pretty average as is sometimes the case with bringing new faces together. We have had some positional changes to allow players to work to their strengths, and a move to the wing for me has been well received. Been great to run up and down the field opposite Benny O and Maxy Gray. It’s funny how you still learn a lot about the game post-30, being able to out-work or out-smart an opponent is a challenge I look forward to during each match. Like the team, I feel I have been building in my own performance with the team and at this end of the year, and it is time to play to our full potential. Big last couple of matches to come, so looking forward to making an impact.
Q: Which current younger Blacker do you see and think to yourself “gee that reminds me of my younger self”?
A: Will Mithen and Ty Palmer thanks to their speed and excitement on the field. We have a really strong crop of young players, including the Blacks under 19s, who I’m sure there will be more emergent guns playing senior footy in the coming years.
Q: Which blacker have you seen debut post covid that you think will be most likely to hit 150 games?
A: I’ll go for a more recent debutant, as my memory of who is pre and post covid is a little hazy. Oli Rouse would be my pick. He has many years of excellent Blacks footy ahead of him!
Q: You are arguably, the most reliable player-contributor to our Arvo Tea set-ups. Any personal favourite contributions that you are proud of?
A: Very proud of my “never been done before” ice-cream sandwiches at the arvo tea earlier this year. Going to whip up a custom milestone inspired piece of baking mastery this week – make sure you get to the arvo tea!
Q: Those who know you understand that you are an absolute stickler for the rule book and it being officiated/interpreted as written. What one rule irks you the most, in the way it is umpired, or just in general, think should be different for the sake of the game?
A: This is a topic that I am passionate about. There are 2 that are big at the moment:
Happy to discuss these and more with anyone that I have confused.
Q: Since your debut in 2014, music tastes have certainly changed amongst the playing group. What song would you bring back from your early career to mix in with what is played these days?
A: 2025 has seen the rise of pre and post-game tunes – often plenty of bass 2 hours out from the game getting the boys peaking too early. Some smoother pre-game tunes – like the ones we used to listen to in the tin room – could be a happy medium..
Q: With your 150th coming up, you have undoubtedly attended 150 blackspots too. What/who is your favourite blackspot moment/hosts?
A: The blackspot is one of those ones that you just have to go with. Confusing when you are new to get your head around the Blacks lore, but soon enough it becomes one of the more enjoyable times of the week. Again, not sure if I have a favourite moment or host, everyone who get’s up there is doing an honourable job. Maybe my win in the kahoot a few weeks ago to win the grand prize of 2 Irish Breakfast teabags might just well do it!
Q: Lastly, are there any special thank you’s you’d like to shout out to ahead of your big game?
A: Oooh a tough one – too many to thank so am going to try to keep it broad!
To start, the coaches, players and support staff have all been amazing throughout the last 12 seasons. Justin Gray, Cam Roberts and Ray Wilson were the first to get me on board after the fateful O-week stall at the start of 2014. Special mention needs to go to the medical/physios/S&C teams that we have had across the years for sorting me out with all the rehab, and prep needed to keep me playing, or get me back playing after injuries.
All the current and past Blacks community have gone a long way to creating an environment that encourages myself and all the players to keep coming back year after year and pulling on the Blacks jersey on the weekend. Whether it’s game 1, or game 150, all the playing group bring an infectious energy and genuine friendship that supports this enigmatic Blacks culture. I am very thankful to all of my teammates over the years.
Final mention must go to family and friends for their unwavering and ongoing support. Both at the games through momentous wins, to rainy/cold losses, and also behind the scenes to being flexible and accommodating of the time commitment I make to each training, game, and the very many social occasions attached to the club (busy end of season coming up!). Your support and buy-in to the Blacks’ community is something that I am truly thankful for and would encourage every family member or friend of a player to do!
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