Jack Steele (footballer)

Jack Steele (born 13 December 1995) is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the St Kilda Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He previously played for the Greater Western Sydney Giants from 2015 to 2016.

For the Canadian soccer player, see Jack Steele (soccer).

Jack Steele
Steele playing for St Kilda in April 2018
Personal information
Full name Jack Steele
Date of birth (1995-12-13) 13 December 1995
Original team(s) NSW/ACT Rams (TAC Cup)Belconnen Cats
Draft No. 24, 2014 national draft
Height 187 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight 86 kg (190 lb)
Position(s) Midfielder
Club information
Current club St Kilda
Number 9
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2015–2016 Greater Western Sydney 17 (9)
2017– St Kilda 80 (27)
Total 97 (36)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2020.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

AFL career

GWS Giants (2015–2016)

He was recruited by Greater Western Sydney from the Belconnen Football Club and NSW/ACT Rams TAC Cup under 18s. Steele was drafted by Greater Western Sydney as an academy player with a pick listed as 24 overall in the 2014 AFL draft after North Melbourne Football Club unsuccessfully bid for him with their first round pick listed as 16 overall.

He made his debut against North Melbourne in round 12 of the 2015 season.[1]

St Kilda (2017–present)

At the conclusion of the 2016 season, he requested a trade from Greater Western Sydney[2] and nominated St Kilda as his preferred destination.[3] Steele was traded to St Kilda in exchange for the club's future 2017 second round draft pick.

He made his debut for St Kilda Football Club in Round 1 of the 2017 season against the Melbourne Football Club.[4] Steele successfully completed 158 tackles in 20 games for St Kilda in 2017, the second best season tackle total in club history at the highest average per game (in the top 20) at 7.9 per game. He also equaled the club record for tackles in a game with 17 against Fremantle in round 15. This led to Steele winning the "Lenny Hayes Player Trademark award" for 2017.

After a slow start to the 2018 season with a rib injury and some inconsistent form, Senior Coach, Alan Richardson, picked Steele to perform a “run-with” role for the team. Steele excelled in the role and had a standout second half of the season where he again won the "Lenny Hayes Player Trademark award" for the second year in a row and polled third in the 2018 "Trevor Barker award."[5]

Steele continued his tagging role in 2019, where he took on Brownlow contenders. In round 16, Steele gathered a game high and club record 18 tackles, while tagging contested beast Ben Cunnington. Steele finished third in the Trevor baker award, reaching headlines for his tagging and tackling.[6]

The 2020 season was a breakout for Steele who received a wide-range of accolades for a fine season. Steele finished equal third (with Melbourne's Christian Petracca) in the prestigious AFL Brownlow Medal after polling votes in nine games and earning best on ground in the matches against Carlton, Adelaide, Port Adelaide and Gold Coast. [7] Steele also won the 2020 Trevor Barker Award, the St Kilda Best and Fairest award, for the first time in his career.[8] Steele was selected on the interchange for the 2020 All-Australian side; Steele lead the Saints’ numbers for disposals (376), clearances (90), tackles (94), inside-50s (54) and ground-ball gets (117), plus in excess of 100 more pressure acts than second-placed Dan Butler.[9]

Statistics
Statistics are correct to the end of the 2020 season[10]
Legend
 G  Goals  B  Behinds  K  Kicks  H  Handballs  D  Disposals  M  Marks  T  Tackles
§ Led the league for the home-and-away season and after finals
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game)
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2015 Greater Western Sydney 3871230699916400.10.34.39.914.12.35.7
2016 Greater Western Sydney 111082817415541410.80.28.17.415.54.14.1
2017 St Kilda 92068152289441651580.30.47.614.521.63.37.9
2018 St Kilda 92171207286493831400.330.109.8613.6223.483.956.67
2019 St Kilda 92036195243438801640.150.309.7512.1521.904.00

§ 8.20

2020 St Kilda 919112204213417721040.580.1110.7411.2121.953.795.47
Career 97 36 22 869 1174 2043 357 647 0.37 0.22 8.96 12.10 21.06 3.68 6.67

References
  1. Sygall, David (20 June 2015), "Weakened GWS Giants no match for hardened North Melbourne", The Age
  2. Cherny, Daniel (8 October 2016). "AFL trades 2016: GWS midfielder Jack Steele requests a trade to St Kilda". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  3. "Steele nominates St Kilda". 8 October 2016. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  4. "Giant becomes a Saint: Steele deal done". AFL.com.au. Bigpond. 14 October 2016. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  5. "Steele's statement of intent". saints.com.au. 21 September 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  6. "Steele hot favourite for Trevor Barker award".
  7. "Steele earns podium finish at 2020 Brownlow Medal". www.saints.com.au. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  8. "Steele snares maiden Trevor Barker Award". www.saints.com.au. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  9. "Steele, Butler earn places in All-Australian squad". www.saints.com.au. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  10. "Jack Steele stats". AFL Tables. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
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