Many Casey fans may not know about young Miles Shepherd’s entertainment side. But his focus, just like with his footy, is starting to make waves.

Miles Shepherd is just one of a crop of many young players emerging through Casey’s ranks. On the weekend, in only his fourth VFL game, he got on the highlight reels after snagging a quick pair of goals early in the last quarter of Casey’s 13th straight VFL win over Port Melbourne. The second goal, courtesy of a classy running dribble from the boundary that drew a gasp from the ground, quickly became a video highlight.

Yet it’s not the first time Shepherd has gone viral on social media.

It started late last year when the fun-loving footballer decided to channel his love for sport into a bit of humour with his brother. After following the Ashes series of test cricket between Australia and England, the Casey utility had some fun and ended up starting a chain of success.

Shepherd and his brother quickly latched onto the first ball of the series when Aussie bowler Mitchell Starc bowled English opener Rory Burns. The pair recorded themselves with headphones on, lip-syncing the excited commentary from that famous sporting moment.

Soon enough, they had their own popularity to handle.

“All of our successes we’ve had since can go back to ‘Starcy’ for bowling Rory Burns, or even to Burns for missing a straight one,” Shepherd told Casey Media. “It was so random what we did with it, but it only takes one video to kick off and then the snowball effect happens.

“I only found that out the next day when we woke up in the morning and our phones were going off.”

Shepherd admits he has already loved his sport and entertaining people. Now, the siblings have become ‘Shep Mates’; an entertaining social media channel where the brothers record skits and continue lip-syncing their favourite pieces of commentary.

Shepherd says it feels surreal to now have his comedic routines with his brother taken seriously as he continues to produce videos while playing for the Demons.

“It’s a little niche thing we did that has kicked off,” Shepherd laughed. “To see the sheer growth in numbers on social media makes you start to think you can take it seriously and keep riding the wave that is social media.

“There are heaps of opportunities that may come from it in terms of media or influencing. It’s something we love so I’m currently pursuing both of my passions in football and entertainment.”

But Shepherd hasn’t left all of his entertainment to off the field. Shepherd has quickly made up time to returning to his AFL dream after an interrupted junior career.

Playing juniors at both East Brighton and Balnarring Football Clubs, Shepherd’s elevation through the junior footy ranks was interrupted by an unlucky run with Osgood-Schlatter disease. The growing pain in the knees usually afflicts many kids for half a year as their body adjusts to growing rapidly. For Shepherd, it ruled him out of playing footy for the best part of two years.

“Both my brother and I were late bloomers,” Shepherd said. “I ended up playing no footy in both Under 15s and 16s due to the issues.

“I always wanted to play AFL from an early age but that got put on hold when that diagnosis came at 13.”

In those two years off, Shepherd changed pace. Instead of kicking the footy, he became an umpire until he was ready to return to playing at the Under 19s level. Following a best and fairest and the return of his hunger to succeed at the highest level, Shepherd worked his way up.

Yet it wasn’t in the traditional method. Those two years out of the game ruled Shepherd out of any TAC Cup squads, as the young utility wasn’t on any scouts’ radars until he began trying to force his name onto VFL sides.

“It made me hungrier to do it by not going through the traditional way,” Shepherd said. “In the end I’ve gotten lucky but things happen in weird ways to help you out.”

Having played at Crib Point for the past five years, Shepherd looked to get his name onto a VFL squad. At the start of 2021 Shepherd rocked up to Frankston without an invite and trained for three weeks. But when Casey put out applications for potential players, Shepherd soon found his VFL career taking shape before his eyes.

The utility was invited to a trial run by coach Mark Corrigan. Out of the 20 or so players who were invited down, Shepherd recalls only himself and one other player being asked to train with the VFL squad. Midway through the season, Shepherd made his VFL debut, playing the one game before COVID ended the 2021 season early. It all happened quickly for Shepherd.

“It happened so fast – I went from playing Under 19 local footy to training with a few of the Melbourne AFL boys over the summer,” Shepherd said. “My goal last year was just to play a game, I didn’t really know what to expect.

“It’s been extremely exciting. I love the high level of training required and I love being around quality players because it increases your commitment and makes you want to keep improving until you get to their level.”

But Shepherd wasn’t satisfied with the one game in 2021. Shepherd has now played three more games this season, coming into the side when Melbourne’s AFL suite of players aren’t fully available for Casey. Shepherd says it can be frustrating, but that he would rather be in his current position training with elite level players weekly rather than playing more games for a less experienced side.

“You go in one week and then rely on the health of the AFL list, which can push you out at times when you feel like you play your role for the team,” Shepherd said. “But it’s a trade-off for the high-level education and the environment that Casey offers to get better as a footballer that other VFL clubs may not offer despite there being more opportunities.

“To walk into that environment weekly, it makes you want to work even harder as you see why they’re all so good, and to get a crack and feel like I belong at the level in the few games I’ve played has been good.”

Despite Shepherd’s extra-curricular pursuits dominating social media, it’s clear to see he’s just as intent on taking his footy seriously as he is making people laugh. Although his Casey teammates know about Shep Mates, Shepherd says he loves how respectful they are of it in allowing him to focus on his footy while training and playing with the Demons.

“VFL footy is a big thing, so I don’t want to walk in like a jokester – I want to take it seriously,” he said.

And it’s working. On the weekend Shepherd played his fourth VFL game against Port Melbourne. After training to be a defender for the red and blue, late changes meant Shepherd was thrown forward. He flourished, kicking two last quarter goals to prove he can be a flexible member of Corrigan’s side.

Shepherd believes his versatility is a key factor for him being able to come in and play whatever role is required of him.

“Harry (Corrigan) said to me early that he likes my versatility and my aerial ability,” Shepherd said. “To have an opportunity to play forward is exciting because I do play forward in local footy.

“It didn’t feel too foreign although the system is different. It helps me to play both ends, it gives me an extra chance to crack in and play a role for the team.”

When Shepherd has returned to local level at Crib Point, he has loved being able to pass on the infinite amounts of knowledge he’s learnt at Casey so far. Although he harbours passions to play at the highest level while expanding his social media offerings, Shepherd is spending his time getting the best out of himself in every way possible.

“I want to play the highest level of footy that I can,” Shepherd said. “Seeing more VFL players getting drafted now than ever before is encouraging, but I’m focusing on the short term.

“I’m loving being able to narrow my vision to every week with Casey and making the team, playing my role and having an impact.”