Carlton’s private jet: Shiel’s Vinnie Chase moment

Dylan Shiel got to experience his “Vinnie Chase moment” when he was courted by Carlton in 2018.

The midfielder was exploring his options in that trade period after seven seasons with GWS. And the Blues were quick to act.

Shiel and his manager Paul Connors were flown to Noosa in a private jet with Ikon Park honchos including Stephen Silvagni, Chris Judd and Bruce Mathieson among others.

While Essendon was eventually successful in luring Shiel from the Giants, he did get to have his moment in the sun when the Blues rolled out the red carpet.

He likens it to Vincent Chase, the charismatic main character of the hit series Entourage played by Adrian Grenier, who moved around by luxurious means.

“It was quite overwhelming to be honest,” Shiel said on SEN Breakfast. “It was obviously really cool.

“You guys would have watched Entourage, surely? It was certainly my Vinnie Chase moment.

“As cool as it was it did feel incredibly uncomfortable. It probably didn’t help that the media got wind of the story. I’m sure clubs have been doing that for other players as well and it’s just gone unnoticed.

“But it was certainly something that a lot of people have enjoyed asking me about.”

Brekkie host Sam Edmund asked Shiel: “Do people ask too much though? Not just because it was public but even if it was private, was it laid on a bit thick?”

Shiel laughed before explaining the thought process behind his decision to pick the Dons over the Blues.

“You know what? Maybe if they (the Blues) did a little bit more I might have joined them,” he joked.

“No, look, in the end all that stuff is great and it was a fun experience to go through but you do make your decision based on where you want to play your football and where you think you’re going to be at your best.

“That’s what I really based my decision on at the time. You base your decision off where you can see yourself having the biggest impact and enjoying the best career possible.

“It was certainly at the forefront of the decision filter.”

After 14 seasons and 234 games for the Giants and Bombers, Shiel officially announced his retirement earlier this week.

But he admits he left no stone unturned in a bid to find a third club to prolong his career.

“I thought that was pretty obvious that I was trying to get to a third (club),” Shiel added. “I’d been trying for the whole off-season.

“I thought I had more football left to play. Football clubs have a philosophy and a direction they want to go in and unfortunately I’m not on the other side of the table to make the decision.

“I have to respect that and now that the decision has been made I’m ready to attack life after football head on.”

So, what’s next?

He’ll perhaps dip his toe in corporate finance and may even have a footy role at his old school Caulfield Grammar.

“The corporate world is where I’ve got the itch to enter,” the 32-year-old said further.

“Footy is something I’ve loved. I do want to continue to have some sort of football in my life. It won’t be playing or coaching in the next 12 months at this stage, but there could be some sort of part-time coaching role at my old school, Caulfield Grammar, that I’ll look in to.

“Otherwise I studied finance, I had a bit of an investing project in the background as well as a few other things that I’ll start to dive into in the next 12 months.”

Shiel debuted for GWS in 2012 and played 135 games in the orange and charcoal, earning Al-Australian selection in 2017, before playing 99 games in red and black between 2019 and 2025.