Career
Shepherd played his junior football with Sherwood and then joined Western Districts in the Queensland Australian Football League. He had been a gifted player in his youth, voted the best performer at the 1972 schoolboy carnival and named vice-captain of the. His career at Fitzroy began in 1975 when as a 19-year-old he became a regular fixture in the team with 16 appearances.
He added 27 games over the next two seasons, averaging 19 disposals in the latter year.
A half forward, he returned to Western Districts when his Fitzroy stint ended and in 1980 was joint runner-up in the Grogan Meda lieutenant was the second time he had finished second in the Grogan Medal count, having lost out to Jeff Ebert in 1974.
