By Tyler Lewis
Jordy Wyatt’s success for Springvale South brought a smile to a lot of faces this year.
Wyatt has played cricket at Drouin, Casey-South Melbourne and is now a Turf 1 premiership player at the Bloods.
And on Saturday it was evident he is a fan favourite from all aforementioned clubs, when every crunching blow off his bat resulted in an erupting roar from a selection of fans at Alex Nelson Reserve.
Wyatt stopped playing cricket after the 2019/20 season for Casey-South Melbourne and had no intention of playing this summer.
“It was good to have a bit of a break and get the love for cricket back again,” Wyatt said back in January after his 124 not out against Berwick.
“I wasn’t meant to be playing cricket at all, I was meant to be getting shoulder surgery in November, I am on the waiting list for it.
“It has been delayed because of Covid, so I ended up getting a call, they (Springvale South) asked if I wanted to play and I said ‘I’ll call my surgeon and make sure before I confirm, but it sounds good’.”
For someone that didn’t have a desire to play at the commencement of the season, in the aftermath of his premiership Wyatt revealed it was a ‘special’ win over Buckley Ridges.
“It was very special,” he said.
“Especially seeing the guys that had been through a number of losses, to get the win for those guys, it was special for me but to see the smiles on their faces and tears in their eyes, it was just so special to see.
“I won one at Drouin in 2014/15 and a heap in juniors, they’re cool, but winning a senior flag, there is nothing better.
“I said that to someone yesterday, I was actually not going to play cricket, and I’ve gone and had the most fun I have had in my time playing senior cricket, I have played without stress, without that fear of being dropped, fear of pressure, I have just really enjoyed it.
“I was just saying to Sarah – my partner – it is going to feel weird not going down to training on Thursday night.”
The dashing right-hander has always had all the shots in the book, but his clarity at the crease was noticeable this season.
And it has come as a result of work behind the scenes.
“I actually have done a lot of work with a psychologist and my focus has never been better with watching the ball,” he said.
“I put it down to a lot of that, being in a really good head space mentally because of all the work I am putting in off the field behind the scenes I guess, I think that has been a key to my focus when batting and my clarity.
“I have actually really enjoyed the one-dayers, I got the opportunity to bat every week and I think that is something that has benefitted me.
“Being able to score runs, you get confidence and take that into the next week.”
While all cricket teams have energy in the field, it seems whenever the Bloods get a wicket there is certainly some extra carry-on, and Wyatt has put that down to the boys celebrating each other.
“We get along really well, I think I mentioned it back in January, we celebrate each other’s individual wins,” he said.
“I think that is a really important for a cricket side, or any sporting side, if you can celebrate your teammate’s wins as much as your own you’re going to have a really good season.
“It was without even any focus really, we just have a really good bunch of guys that get along well, we all celebrated one-another and what they achieved throughout the year, which I think is great.”
Wyatt’s daughter Peyton was right among the premiership celebrations on Saturday afternoon, and as he and his partner are expecting another child this week. Wyatt revealed that his partner and daughter has been a crucial motivator in him in all facets of life.
“Oh mate… I guess having a young daughter that thinks the world of me makes things a lit bit easier,” he said.
“Either way whether you go home with a loss or a win, even if you failed, they are going to love you no matter what, they don’t care on a game day.
“They just love you and want to be around you, being able to win it and I guess you get home, no matter what.
“For me Peyton thinks the world of me, it doesn’t matter to her whether we won, lost, I made runs or I failed. She doesn’t care, it makes it a bit more special that you’re always going to be seen in that light by your loved ones.”
Wyatt’s match-defining 59 from 64 balls in Saturday’s grand final capped off a stunning season that included 543 runs at 49.4, four half centuries, one century, a Team of the Year selection and not a single score below double-figures.
