Drugs and alcohol became a major part of his teenage years, and he seemed destined for a life of crime.

“When I was 17, I was done for break and enter at the Bendigo railway sheds. My mum passed away when I was a kid, so I think I was trying to get my dad’s attention by doing something bad,” Jason said.

The courts put him into drug and alcohol counselling.

With mandatory attendance, a lot of first time offenders struggle to keep up with their obligations.

One question turned Jason’s rehabilitation around, however.

“They figured out that I really like football,” he said.

He was put in touch with the organisers of the Bendigo Victory Football Club, a team run through Reclink Australia.

Having played junior football, it did not take long to reignite Jason’s passion and competitive edge. Seven years later, Jason played his 100th game for the club in last season’s grand final.

In those 100 games he has gained mates, kicked goals and earned the respect of opponents.

But his biggest achievement was away from the field.

“I went to a job agency and an employer saw I was playing footy, I was giving it go. They decided to give me a chance with a job,” Jason said.

“I’ve become a much more open person. In the past, I would try to avoid social situations, but now I feel like I’m a lot more confident.”

He has now worked with Kellow’s Cleaning for several years, his first proper job.

Jason keeps up his fitness with training sessions with the team in California Gully, and fortnightly matches throughout Victoria. They take on other teams full of people who are experiencing disadvantage.

Jason pulls on the team uniform with good mate Scott Densley, who has been with the Victory since 2011.

Few people know the streets of Bendigo quite like Scott.

With a pedometer on his wrist, he walks 12 kilometres every day through the suburbs of Bendigo, catching up with his other mates on the streets. He says a family tragedy was the cause of his homelessness.

Scott spent 13 years working at the Prince of Wales Showgrounds. Now, he walks past the grounds regularly.

A few weeks ago, he spent another couple of nights in his rented storage shed in Bendigo. It has a big, comfortable couch and a television, but no power. It’s a last resort.

“There isn’t always a lot of support available in Bendigo,” Scott said.

Being homeless in Bendigo provided more challenges than Melbourne, in his opinion.

“There’s just more options, more places to go to get help, to get a roof over your head in Melbourne,” Scott said.

Five years ago, a mate asked him if he wanted to play a game of football. While he was originally making up the numbers with the Victory, he quickly became a club stalwart.

For a man who would rarely socialise, it put him back in touch with those in the community.

Now he’s at every centre bounce waiting for the ruck tap.

“Footy just seems to give you a bit of a purpose in life,” Scott said.

“It’s not about winning or losing, it’s just about enjoying a game of football.

“Some of these guys had nothing. Almost all of them are here because they’ve had problems with drugs, alcohol or they have a disability.”

Many players came from backgrounds where violence was seen as a solution to problems. But when things get heated on the field, the players are instantly taken off until they cool off.

For Nathan Dredge, the team was a godsend.

The Eaglehawk man developed agoraphobia after gaining a chronic mistrust of people as a child.

“I’d been let down by a lot of people as a child. I’d work hard, but get nowhere. After a while you just wonder, what’s the point?” he said.

“I just didn’t go anywhere, I was a hermit. My mum became really worried about me.

“They had a go at me, telling me I had to get out, I had to do something.”

He eventually joined a cricket team, where he heard about Bendigo Victory.

It was the promise of playing under former AFL star Aussie Jones as coach that attracted him.

“Aussie Jones was great, he was one of the main reasons why I got involved. It was really helpful to see that no matter who you are, he would speak to you at the same level,” Nathan said.

“I gave it a go, and fell in love with it all. I haven’t left since. It got me back involved with the community.”

The three men have played together with the team for years, encouraging others to do the same. While many have come and gone, the three have remained as a reminder of the important role the team plays in the community.

The Salvation Army increased its role with the team last month, sourcing more people to pull on the guernsey.

More than 15 people turned up to training last night – a great outcome, players told the Bendigo Advertiser.

Dylan Murphy was given the task of managing the team as part of his AFL Central Victoria traineeship.

He said it was clear to see the difference the team had on the lives of players.

“You can see how much it brightens up their days. It gives them something to look forward to,” Dylan said.

Dropped marks and mongrel punts might be a regular part of training sessions, but with every kick and every goal, things get easier for those needing help in Bendigo.

***

Running a football team comes with its challenges. 

The team is still in search of a major sponsor to pay for bus trips to away games. To support the team and get involved, contact the Salvation Army on 5440 8400.

For more information about Reclink Football, visit www.reclink.org/activities/australian-rules-football