Harden’s Ben Shea with Chase Bernard after a particular muddy match in France.
One of Harden’s most talented and robust Rugby League forwards and players of his generation, Ben Shea is returning to the area next year, albeit not for the Hawks, but the Junee Diesels. The Times was able to confirm with ‘Shea’ as he is known to many that he will be returning from France after the current season to join the Junee squad.
Ben is well known to be Rugby League royalty in the area, the son of John Shea and Trish, the former Captain Coached the 1981 grand final winning side for the hyphenates and who was highly regarded as one of the best NSW country footballers of his era. Ben intends to play the rest of the current season for his French side who have been top of the table all season with 14 wins and just 2 losses.
He will then arrive home to take up a position in the Diesels squad which has made a number of astute signings over the Ben told the Times, “Hi mate yeah that’s true, at this stage. The plan is myself and another player I am playing with here in France signed, he’s from New Zealand and a very good player. He signed with them first. Being over here in a foreign place our families have got very close, our two wives have become good friends and the same with the kids as they are a similar age. So the chance came up for me to go to Junee as well, so we thought it would be a good opportunity to stick together. The plan is always to get back to Harden at some point but it didn’t work out this year unfortunately.”
Shea will once again don the maroon and white in the future, something he hasn’t done formally since he was a highly talented Centre and sprinter, before his coaches saw his muscle mass and built him in to a Front Rower. He said, “Mate will definitely get back there, their French season runs from September-June so maybe back end of next year will be the go, but I always said I’d go back to Harden for the love of it and give back a bit.”
Ben will return to Group 9 territory with his team mate Chase Bernard and hopefully join the Diesels after they have a few wins under their belt. Tipped off by Zorro! He rides again.
