Tonight St Kilda captain Jack Steele plays the 150th game of his AFL career in a home game against Melbourne at Marvel Stadium. Steele achieves the milestone in his seventh AFL season with St Kilda and ninth season overall, having played his first two seasons for the GWS Giants in 2015 and 2016.
In the Ask a Saint | Jack Steele video published on saints.com.au on 6 July 2023 host Sam Bunn asked Steele “Before we get underway game 150 who is coming down?” Steele responded “I have got mum and dad as well as my sister and my grandma who are coming down for the trip. Haven’t seen them for a few weeks so it will be good getting them down and getting them in the rooms before the game, catch up with them, looking forward to it.”
Steele grew up in Canberra, played Australian Rules football for the Belconnen Magpies and represented the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) in under-age teams from the under 12’s onwards.
Playing as a midfielder/forward Steele excelled for New South Wales/ACT at the 2014 Under 18 National Championships, was selected in the Under 18 All-Australian team and received his state’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award.
At the 2014 NAB AFL Draft Steele became the first GWS Giants Academy member drafted by the club, being recruited in the second round with pick 24. Across the 2015 and 2016 seasons Steele played 17 AFL games for GWS Giants, was named an emergency 14 times and dominated at State League Level when he played in the North East Australian Football League (NEAFL).
Wanting to increase the likelihood of cementing his spot in an AFL team Steele was traded by the GWS Giants to the St Kilda Football Club during the 2016 trade period in exchange for the Saints 2017 2nd round selection.
Steele was dropped from the Saints AFL team twice before he had played 25 games for the club, being omitted for two weeks in the middle of the 2017 season and for one week early in 2018. Mid-way through the 2018 season Steele was assigned a run-with role opposed to the opposition’s best midfielder. Playing as a run-with midfielder Steele flourished, negating the impact of his opponent whilst also making a valuable contribution offensively. Steele ranked sixth in the AFL for total tackles laid in the 2018 home and away season and led the league in this category in 2019. During 2018 and 2019 Steele recorded back to back third placed finishes in St Kilda’s best and fairest.
In 2020 and 2021 Steele was unleashed from his run-with role and played a more attacking game to great effect in the midfield to elevate his game to a new stratosphere to be one of only seven players selected in both the 2020 and 2021 All-Australian teams. During the 2020 and 2021 home and away seasons Steele ranked in the top 10 of the AFL for tackles and contested possessions per game and in the top three for SuperCoach points per game. In 2021 Steele won the AFLPA Robert Rose Most courageous player award.
Steele took on more leadership responsibility during the 2020 season and made the rapid progression from not being in the Saints leadership group at the start of 2020 to being appointed a St Kilda co-captain alongside defender Jarryn Geary at the start of 2021. At the 2021 AFL Players’ Association Awards Steele finished third in the best captain award. Steele has been the Saints stand alone captain in 2022 and 2023.
Despite missing four games in 2022 due to rupturing the AC joint in his shoulder and requiring surgery Steele finished third in St Kilda’s best and fairest and is the only player at the club to have five consecutive podium finishes in the Saints b & f from 2018 to 2022.
Jack Steele playing for St Kilda against Gold Coast in Round 5 at Marvel Stadium on 16 April 2022
In Round 2, 2023 Steele suffered a broken collarbone against the Western Bulldogs late in the third quarter. After going off the ground and receiving treatment Steele courageously returned, continued to perform his role and polled the equal most coaches votes for the game in the Saints victory. Steele missed three games due to his broken collarbone and has been unable to get continuity with his body in 2023 but still ranks in the top five at St Kilda for total tackles, handballs, clearances, inside 50’s and contested possessions. In all seven seasons for St Kilda from 2017 to 2023 Steele has ranked in the AFL’s top 10 for tackles per game.
Tonight at 27 years of age Steele becomes the seventh current St Kilda player to reach 150 AFL games, joining Brad Hill (226 games), Seb Ross (194), Jack Sinclair (156), Tim Membrey (156), Jack Billings (152) and Brad Crouch (151) in this category.
Jack Steele’s phenomenal Australian Rules football career is covered in more detail below, from playing at junior level with NSW/ACT through to the first 149 games of his AFL career with the GWS Giants and St Kilda.
Early life and junior career
Jack Steele was born on 13 December 1995, his parents are dad Stuart and mum Jo. Jack grew up deep in Rugby territory, his dad Stuart played Rugby League at club level in country New South Wales and several of Jack’s uncles also played Rugby League. Jack’s older sister Sophie represented the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) in basketball as a junior.
Growing up in Canberra Jack played several sports and influenced by dad Stuart commenced his Australian Rules football pathway by playing Auskick at an early age. Steele played junior football for the Belconnen Magpies and also represented the ACT in under-age teams commencing in the Under 12’s. Early on in his junior football career Steele played as a forward, as he got older he started to spend time in the midfield and over time the midfield became Jack’s primary position.
Steele played on the same junior basketball team as Nick Kyrgios who has gone on to have a career in tennis, has a career-high ranking of number 13 in the world and made the Wimbledon final in 2022. During the 10 July 2019 episode of the Saints Insider podcast, host Clair White asked Steele “When did footy become your main focus?” Steele responded “Probably when I was about 15, 16, when I sort of just needed to pick a sport. I played a lot of cricket and basketball as well. All my mates played footy with me and they did the same, they dropped everything else and really started to focus on footy.”
The Greater Western Sydney Giants joined the Australian Football League (AFL) as the 18th team, entering the competition in 2012. The home page for the GIANTS Academy states “In late 2009, the AFL commission approved a set of list concession rules that gave the GIANTS zoned access to AFL players from NSW and the ACT. The Academy was born to provide an improved development pathway for young players within the vast region.”1
Growing up in the ACT Steele became an early member of the Giants Academy. On his junior football career and being a member of the GWS Giants Academy Steele told Saints Insider “I was a part of the Giants Academy from when I was about 13. At the time that they made the academy it was still GWS, I think it was called that until they decided the name for the team. Eventually just worked my way up the ranks year by year and got to under 16’s, made the 16’s state team, had a bad year in my under 18’s top-age year and hurt my knee. So then I came back the next year in the under 18’s Rams and played well enough to get drafted.”
A week before the start of the 2013 NAB AFL Under 18 National Championships Steele dislocated his knee whilst changing direction on the basketball court at the New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory team’s training camp in Coffs Harbour. Two weeks after the injury Steele had an operation and quickly focussed on getting his body right for 2014.
From 2012 to 2014 Steele combined playing junior football with playing some NEAFL football at senior level with University of Western Sydney (UWS) Giants from 2012 to 2014 and with Belconnen in 2013 and 2014.
Steele was eligible to be drafted at the 2013 AFL National Draft but was overlooked by all 18 clubs. One benefit of Steele missing out on being drafted by an AFL club in 2013 was that the NSW/ACT Rams were re-established as a TAC Cup Club in 2014. Whilst the Rams played seven games not the full 17 games that the Victorian TAC Cup Clubs played, it provided another opportunity for the best NSW/ACT juniors including Steele to play against quality opposition. In his six TAC Cup games for the NSW/ACT Rams in 2014 Steele was exceptional, averaging 24.7 disposals, 6.8 marks, 6.7 tackles, 12.0 contested possessions and 1.0 goals per game.
For the 2014 season the NSW/ACT Rams were re-established as a TAC Cup Club and whilst the Rams played seven games not the full 17 games that the Victorian TAC Cup Clubs played, it provided another opportunity for the best NSW/ACT juniors including Steele to play against quality opposition.
At the 2014 AFL Under 18 National Championships playing for New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory Steele rotated between the midfield and forward line to be named in NSW/ACT’s best players in all three games at the Championships and in two games was his side’s outright leading goalkicker. NSW/ACT won the Division two title, winning all three games against in chronological order Northern Territory (won by 81 points), Tasmania (9 points) and Queensland (13 points).
At the 2014 Under 18 National Championships Steele was phenomenal in his three games for New South Wales/ACT, averaging 13.0 kicks, 7.7 handballs, 5.7 marks, 3.0 tackles, 11.7 contested possessions and 2.0 goals per game to be named NSW/ACT’s Most Valuable Player (MVP). Steele was selected on the interchange in the 2014 Under 18 All-Australian team and was joined in the team by NSW/ACT teammates Isaac Heeney and Callum Mills who were selected in the midfield and forward line respectively.
On his 2014 season Steele commented to afl.com.au in October 2014 “I didn’t really expect to have such a great year and I’m pretty proud to make that team. In most games I’ve started forward and worked into the midfield and I think I’ve been able to show I can play in both positions.”2
Steele’s profile in the 2015 AFL Prospectus said “A goal kicking midfielder, he averaged 151 Champion Data Ranking points at the 2014 NAB AFL Under-18 Championships – ranked No. 1 for his side, No 1. of all midfielders and fourth in the competition. He ranked No. 1 of any midfielder for score involvements per match and second for assists per game. His kick rating was elite and the third-highest of any player in the competition who averaged at least 20 disposals per game.”5 At the 2014 AFL Draft Combine Steele finished in the top 10 for three tests – the three km time-trial, beep test/shuttle run and kicking test.
2015 and 2016 AFL seasons with the GWS Giants
On the first day of the 2014 AFL trade period in early October a meeting was held at Docklands Stadium for AFL clubs to place bids on father-son and academy players in the 2014 National Draft. North Melbourne bid pick 15 for Giants Academy player Steele. The GWS Giants matched North Melbourne’s bid and drafted Steele with their next selection, pick 24, which resulted in Steele being the first Giants Academy member drafted by the club. Steele was the first AFL player recruited from Canberra in five years, with his predecessor being Jason Tutt who was recruited by the Western Bulldogs. At the time of being drafted Steele was 18 years old and 187 centimetres tall.
Making the 2014 National Draft even sweeter, Steele wasn’t the only player from Canberra drafted, with his best mate and fellow Belconnen Magpie Logan Austin being selected by Port Adelaide late in the draft with pick 69. Only three players recruited from the Belconnen Football Club had played in the AFL previously – Brett Allison (228 AFL games comprised of 219 for North Melbourne and nine for Sydney), Don Pyke (132 AFL games for the West Coast Eagles) and Matthew Lokan (46 AFL games for Collingwood), so the odds of two team-mates from Belconnen being drafted in the same year and going on to play AFL football was massive.
After being drafted by GWS and joining the club Steele commented to gwsgiants.com.au in mid-November 2014 “The move was pretty hard, moving away from my family and friends but I think I’m settled in now. I’m pretty close with my family and especially my friends so it was definitely one of the hardest things to do. It didn’t really hit me for a while, up until probably when I moved here is when I really felt it. It’s still pretty surreal I guess. I just sort of played footy with my mates just to have fun. But now that it is my career it’s unreal to think that I can make a living off it and really get something out of it. It’s my dream so now that I’m finally here, I’ve got the opportunity, I’ve just got to make the most of it.”3
The GWS Giants joined the AFL as the 18th team in the league and second team from Sydney in 2012. The Giants finished bottom of the ladder in 2012 and 2013 and in 16th position in 2014, however they had an abundance of talented young players on their list and were expected to rise up the ladder in 2015 and beyond.
The profile for Steele in AFL Record Season Guide 2015 said “Strong and powerful midfielder/forward who can create something out of nothing. Shows excellent poise and balance when in possession and is a clever user by hand or foot.”4 At the 2014 AFL Draft Steele was the last of the GWS Giants five top 25 selections, joining Jarrod Pickett (pick 4), Caleb Marchbank (6), Paul Ahern (7) and Pat McKenna (23).
Players in the GWS midfield included then co-captain Callan Ward, Stephen Coniglio, Dylan Shiel, Adam Treloar, Ryan Griffen, Josh Kelly, Lachie Whitfield and Tom Scully whilst Toby Greene and Devon Smith played as forwards/midfielders which made it difficult for Steele and other new draftees to get a regular game at AFL level. In the 2015 pre-season Steele played two of the Giants three NAB Challenge games, in their second game he had 11 disposals and kicked two goals against Essendon at Spotless Stadium.
Steele commenced the 2015 home and away season playing for the Giants in the NEAFL (North East Australian Football League) rotating between the midfield and forward line and was named an AFL emergency in five consecutive games from Round 6 to Round 10. Steele made his AFL debut at 19 years of age in Round 12 against North Melbourne at the Sydney Showgrounds. Steele and defender Marchbank who also made his debut in the same game were the first Giants players to make their AFL debuts in 2015. After it had been announced that Steele would be making his AFL debut GWS Giants head coach Leon Cameron commented “Jack will probably play forward and midfield as well, he’s been playing that role at NEAFL level. He’s been playing some tough on-ball footy for probably six or eight weeks now. He’s a real competitor so really wherever he lines up, it doesn’t matter, you know he’s going to put his head over the footy and tackle really hard and that’s what we want to be known for.”5
In his AFL debut against North Melbourne at 19 years of age Steele was opposed to former St Kilda player and three-time All-Australian Nick Dal Santo at the first bounce. On debut Steele had six kicks, 11 handballs, three marks, three clearances and laid 10 tackles – ranked second for the game behind GWS teammate Adam Treloar with 11.
From his Round 12 debut until Round 17 Steele played five consecutive games for the GWS Giants in the AFL, had at least 16 disposals in four games and laid at least five tackles in every game. A highlight for Steele was taking a contested mark in Round 15 against St Kilda defender Jarryn Geary and kicking the first goal of his AFL career from the set shot 20 metres out on a slight angle. After Steele had been appointed St Kilda co-captain alongside Geary in February 2021 Geary wrote an article for Saints.com.au titled ‘Jarryn Geary: The Jack Steele I know’ and recalled “I’ll never forget the first time I met Jack Steele. It was Round 15, 2015, and I was playing on this kid wearing No. 38 for GWS in just his third game. We had a contest in the forward pocket, I went up to spoil and felt like I got a good piece of it. Job done, I thought. But Steeley floated across in front and pulled down this huge contested mark on me, went back and slotted his first goal in footy. So, he owes me a bit.”6
The Giants defeated the Saints by 35 points and Steele played in his first AFL victory in his third game. Against St Kilda Steele had six kicks, 14 handballs, three marks, five clearances, laid six tackles and 16 contested possessions – ranked second for the game behind Giants co-captain Callan Ward with 17 and took an equal game-high two contested marks.
In Steele’s last two senior appearances for the 2015 season in Round 18 and Round 20 he was the starting substitute. Steele was demoted to the NEAFL in Round 21 and was named an AFL emergency for the seventh and final time of the 2015 season in Round 23. In his 12 NEAFL games for the UWS Giants in 2015 Steele was named in his team’s best players eight times. During 2015 Steele played seven AFL games for the Giants and was named an emergency seven times.
In his second AFL season at the Giants Steele commenced 2016 in the seniors. Jack was omitted for Round 2 but his time in the NEAFL was short-lived, being recalled to the senior side in Round 4. In five AFL games from Round 4 to Round 8 rotating between the midfield and the forward line Steele averaged 18 disposals and a goal per game with the Giants recording five consecutive victories.
Competition for spots in the GWS Giants senior line-up in 2016 was strong with the club easily exceeding their previous best finish of 11th in 2015 to finish fourth at the end of the 2016 home and away season with 16 wins and six losses. From Round 9 to Round 14 Steele was named an emergency four times and played two AFL games. After playing consecutive AFL games in Round 16 and Round 17 Steele missed Rounds 18 and 19 with a hand injury and was unable to regain his place in the Giants AFL team.
In a NEAFL preliminary final victory against Sydney University on Saturday 3 September Steele had 41 possessions in the UWS Giants victory which secured them a Grand Final berth. Days later Steele fractured a metatarsal in his left foot whilst training at the Giants training base at Olympic Park which caused him to miss the rest of the season.
The Giants recorded their first ever AFL finals victory in 2016, defeating cross-town rivals the Sydney Swans by 36 points in a qualifying final at ANZ Stadium in front of 60,222 spectators on Saturday 10 September. In a home preliminary final at Spotless Stadium the GWS Giants lost a thriller to eventual premiers the Western Bulldogs by six points on Saturday 24 September.
Throughout 2016 Steele was on the fringe of the Giants AFL team, playing 10 games in the AFL and was named an emergency seven times. Steele was dominant at State League level in 2016, in 10 games for the GWS Giants in the NEAFL he averaged 36 disposals, eight marks, eight tackles, seven inside 50’s and 1.5 goals per game.
From 2015 to 2016 Steele played 17 AFL games for the GWS Giants and was named an emergency 14 times, in the AFL he averaged 6.5 kicks, 8.4 handballs, 3.4 marks, 4.8 tackles, 6.2 contested possessions and 0.5 goals per game. Steele was an accurate shot at goal at AFL level for the GWS Giants in 2016, kicking eight goals, two behinds.
2017 AFL season with St Kilda
Wanting to increase the likelihood of cementing his spot in an AFL team Steele decided to leave the Giants and nominated St Kilda as his preferred club. During the 2016 trade period Steele was traded by the GWS Giants to the St Kilda Football Club in exchange for the Saints 2017 2nd round selection. On recruiting Steele, St Kilda’s then chief operating officer Ameet Bains commented “We’re thrilled to have Jack join the Saints and with his ability to play both in the midfield and forward, we think he’ll strongly complement our young, emerging list while filling a key need. Jack’s had some strong performances and at only 20-years-old we think he has a lot of potential to continue to develop and be a quality player for the club.”7
On the decision to leave the GWS Giants and join St Kilda Steele told Saints Insider in July 2019 “I really wanted to be playing consistent AFL footy, and at the Giants and with their list and the players they had it was just too hard to crack, if you did play one bad game I suppose you felt like your spot was in a bit of jeopardy, I didn’t really want that stress. I did want to stay there and be a one club player and try and win a premiership with that team but at the end of the day I wasn’t playing AFL footy so I think coming to St Kilda was the best thing I have done.” On choosing the Saints Steele commented “I thought the Saints at the time were a young team, they were an upcoming team, they didn’t have as much depth as the Giants I thought and I just thought it was a perfect team for a fresh start and I am glad I am here now.”
St Kilda had finished the 2016 season in ninth position with 12 wins and 10 losses, percentage behind North Melbourne who finished eighth. 2016 was Alan Richardson’s third season as St Kilda’s head coach and the fifth consecutive season that the Saints had missed the finals. St Kilda’s previous final was the 2011 elimination final loss to Sydney at Marvel Stadium.
Nick Riewoldt had been a St Kilda captain for 11 seasons including nine seasons as St Kilda’s sole captain from 2008 to 2016. At St Kilda’s 2016 best and fairest Riewoldt stepped down from being the Saints captain. Riewoldt holds the club record with 208 games as captain ahead of Danny Frawley (177 games) and Darrel Baldock (104). Small defender Jarryn Geary was appointed St Kilda’s captain in 2017.
Steele’s profile in AFL Prospectus 2017 said “Steele’s polish in the forward half will be welcomed at St Kilda. He recorded the highest kick rating of any Giants player to play at least five games last season and was the only mid-forward in the AFL to rate elite for goals and shot at goal accuracy.”8
Due to his left foot injury sustained late in the 2016 season Steele wasn’t able to start running in pre-season training with St Kilda until December. In Round 1, 2017 Steele made his club debut for St Kilda against Melbourne and set a new personal best of 23 disposals in an AFL game comprised of eight kicks and 15 handballs, he also had 12 contested possessions and took seven marks.
In Round 8 against Carlton at the Docklands Steele had seven kicks, 22 handballs, seven clearances, laid seven tackles, had a team-high 17 contested possessions and kicked a goal in the 19 point victory. Steele played 11 consecutive AFL games for St Kilda in the first half of the 2017 season, he had more than 17 disposals nine times and laid at least eight tackles in a game eight times during this period.
After Steele had a season-low 15 disposals against Adelaide in Round 12 at Adelaide Oval he was omitted for the Saints Round 13 game North Melbourne which surprised many people in the football community but not Steele himself. In November 2017 Steele commented to afl.com.au about being omitted in the middle of the season, saying “I didn’t have a very good game against Adelaide, so I did see it coming. Richo told me what it was about. I knew exactly what it was. I just wasn’t as there as I was earlier in the season, like my pressure and tackling wasn’t quite there.”9
After two weeks in the VFL playing for the Sandringham Zebras including having 36 disposals in his second game Steele was recalled to the Saints side in Round 15 against Fremantle and played the last nine games of the season at AFL level, he had more than 21 disposals in seven games during this period.
In his return to the Saints team in Round 15, 2017 against Fremantle at Subiaco Oval Steele had 15 disposals, kicked a goal and laid 17 tackles to equal the Saints club record for most tackles in a game set by David Armitage in Round 10, 2016 vs Fremantle at Docklands Stadium. One of Steele’s 17 tackles changed the momentum of the game, Fremantle were leading by five points with just over a minute remaining in the third quarter and looked certain to extend the lead when Brennan Cox received a handball in space 40 metres out from goal, however as Cox ran towards goal and then steadied, Steele who had chased hard to make up ground made a lunging tackle which brought Cox to ground, prevented him from kicking what looked like a certain goal and earned Steele a free kick with Cox being penalised for holding the ball. St Kilda overran Fremantle in the last quarter, kicking four goals to two to win by nine points.
Against the West Coast Eagles in Round 20 at Marvel Stadium Steele polled the first Brownlow Medal votes of his career in his 34th AFL game, receiving the three votes for being best afield in a performance in which he set game-highs or equal game-highs for handballs (17), tackles (12), clearances (10) and contested possessions (20). In the eight point St Kilda victory Steele also had nine kicks, kicked an equal team-high two goals and polled the maximum 10 votes in the AFL Coaches Association Champion Player of the Year Award.
Jack Steele just after handballing for St Kilda against West Coast in Round 20 at Marvel Stadium on 6 August 2017
During 2017 Steele played 20 of a possible 22 AFL games, led the Saints in total tackles, ranked second for handballs and contested possessions and third for clearances. Steele ranked third in the AFL with 158 tackles during the home and away season, behind Rory Sloane (176) and Brad Ebert (165), he laid 64 more tackles than the second ranked Saint – fellow midfielder Seb Ross (94).
Jack Steele playing for St Kilda against West Coast in Round 21 at the MCG on 13 August 2017
At St Kilda’s 2017 best and fairest Steele won the Lenny Hayes Players Trademark Award. Despite ranking in the top three for the Saints in a few important stats and easily leading the club for tackles Steele didn’t finish in the top 10 at the 2017 Trevor Barker Award in October, he was actually a long way off it, finishing 18th. In February 2018 Steele commented to The Age on his low best and fairest finish, saying “It did annoy me a little bit. It was disappointing but I guess it just means there’s more to work on so I’m just looking to build on last season and hopefully crack top 10 or even get higher than that so the sky’s the limit, really. Anything could happen so it’s definitely motivation for me. It just means they think I’ve got more to prove, I guess. That’s what I’ve got to do – try to prove myself even more.”10
Steele finishes third in the Saints 2018 best and fairest
During the 2017 trade period Steele’s former Belconnen Magpies teammate, defender Logan Austin was traded to St Kilda from Port Adelaide for St Kilda’s 2018 third round selection. Austin made his AFL debut for Port Adelaide in 2016 and played 13 games for the club from 2016 to 2017. In 2018 Steele and Austin, having grown up together in the ACT got to live out a boyhood dream and played seven AFL games for St Kilda as teammates. Austin spent two more years on St Kilda’s list but was unable to add to his AFL games tally and was delisted at the end of 2020.
Steele started the 2018 season at AFL level with St Kilda but after having 18 disposals against Brisbane in Round 1 and 14 disposals against North Melbourne in Round 2 he was dropped to the VFL for the second time in his first 25 games with the Saints.
After spending one week in the VFL with the Sandringham Zebras and missing the Saints Round 3 game against Adelaide Steele was recalled back to AFL level for St Kilda’s round 4 away game against Geelong and retained his position in the seniors for the remainder of the season. After Round 12 Steele had only polled 22 votes in the Trevor Barker Award, however a role change to that of run-with player was the catalyst for a barnstorming finish to the season which led to him rapidly moving up the leader-board.
On his role change Steele told Saints Insider “Richo just gave me a role, he thought we needed to have a defensive midfielder inside the centre square playing on the opposition’s best player each week I guess, and I put my hand up and said I’d do that which was great because I get to sort of sit on the back of the best player. The ball’s always getting hit to him and get to play a lot more minutes obviously. It was an opportunity for me that I am grateful for and sort of develop my game in all areas, learnt a lot from the best players around the competition.”
Jack Steele laying a tackle for St Kilda against North Melbourne in Round 2 at Marvel Stadium on 30 March 2018
In Round 13 Steele was given the run-with role on Gold Coast midfielder David Swallow which he performed well to earn 10 votes in the Trevor Barker Award and contributed to St Kilda recording a two point victory at Metricon Stadium, St Kilda’s first win since Round 1 (they had a draw with the GWS Giants in Round 5).
At 22 years of age Steele played his 50th AFL game in Round 15 against Melbourne at the MCG. During the second half of the season Steele excelled and polled votes in the AFL Coaches Association Champion Player of the Year Award for games when he performed run-with roles on Clayton Oliver in Round 15, Ollie Wines in Round 16, Patrick Cripps in Round 17 and Callan Ward in Round 19.
Against Carlton in Round 17 opposed to Cripps, Steele showed what he was capable of offensively, amassing a then career-high 33 disposals comprised of 12 kicks and 21 handballs and had a phenomenal disposal efficiency of 97%. Steele also laid a game-high 10 tackles, had a team-high seven clearances, a team-high 15 contested possessions, a goal assist and kicked a goal. Cripps also had a strong offensive game with 35 disposals, 10 clearances and kicked a goal.
Against his former side the Giants in Round 19 at the Sydney Showgrounds Steele restricted his former captain Callan Ward to 20 disposals, five contested possessions and two clearances whilst having 24 disposals, 14 contested possessions and five clearances himself.
In Round 23 against North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium Steele had a then career-high 35 disposals comprised of 12 kicks, a game-high 23 handballs, a game-highs nine tackles, equal game-high 15 contested possessions, a team-high 20 uncontested possessions, seven clearances, kicked an equal team-high two goals and polled one Brownlow Medal vote.
During 2018 Steele played 21 of a possible 22 AFL games for St Kilda, averaging 9.9 kicks, 13.6 handballs, 4.0 marks, 6.7 tackles, 10.2 contested possessions and 0.33 goals per game. In 2018 Steele led St Kilda for total tackles, ranked second for contested possessions, third for disposals, handballs and clearances and fifth for uncontested possessions. Steele ranked sixth in the AFL for tackles. Steele polled 134 votes at St Kilda’s best and fairest to finish third behind fellow midfielders Jack Steven (191 votes) and Sebastian Ross (175) and just ahead of small forward Jade Gresham (126). At St Kilda’s 2018 best and fairest Steele also won the Lenny Hayes Player Trademark Award for the second year in a row.
Jack Steele playing for St Kilda against former side, the GWS Giants in Round 5 at Marvel Stadium on 21 April 2018
Speaking to saints.com.au backstage at the 2018 Trevor Barker Award Steele commented on the development of his game after being assigned the run-with role mid-season, saying “The role simplified the game for me and I found it really easy to get involved offensively and defensively so as the season went on I thrived, so hopefully I can do that next year.”
Steele’s profile in AFL Record Season 2019 said “It was remarkable how much the former Giant improved in the second half of last year. After assuming a negating role, Steele stopped some big names, including Melbourne’s Clayton Oliver, Port Adelaide’s Ollie Wines and Gold Coast’s David Swallow. The Canberra product racked up plenty of the ball as well, with his disposal tally dipping below 24 just once in the final eight rounds.”11
Steele finishes third in St Kilda’s 2019 best and fairest
Brett Ratten joined St Kilda as an assistant coach for the 2019 season in charge of the forward line and ball movement. Ratten played 255 AFL games from 1990 to 2003 for Carlton as an inside midfielder, he played in Carlton’s 1995 premiership, won three best and fairest awards (in 1995, 1997 and 2000) and was named in the All-Australian team twice. Ratten was Carlton’s head coach for 120 games from late in the 2007 season to 2012 with Carlton making the finals in three seasons during this period.
In 2019 Steele continued to be utilised effectively for the Saints as a run-with player in the midfield. In his fifth season on an AFL list Steele didn’t play any games in a State League for the first season in his career, playing 20 of a possible 22 games AFL games with St Kilda, missing Rounds 13 and 14 due to a dislocated knee-cap.
Opposed to Carlton co-captain Patrick Cripps in Round 10 at Marvel Stadium Steele had 10 kicks, a game-high 18 handballs, took five marks, laid a game-high 10 tackles and polled one Brownlow Medal vote in the 15 point victory.
Against North Melbourne in Round 16 at Bellerive Oval Steele laid 18 tackles to set a new club record for most tackles laid in a game, surpassing the previous record of 17 which he was a joint holder of along with David Armitage.
In Round 17 against Geelong at GMHBA Stadium Steele had nine kicks, a game-high 19 handballs, eight tackles, eight clearances, an equal team-high 17 contested possessions and polled four Coaches votes in a 27 point loss.
From Round 6 to Round 17 St Kilda only won two of their 11 games to have a record of six wins, 10 losses and be 15th on the ladder. After Round 17 Alan Richardson stepped down as St Kilda’s head coach with Brett Ratten taking over as care-taker coach. St Kilda won three of their last six games of the 2019 season with Ratten as the head coach.
Jack Steele playing for St Kilda against Gold Coast in Round 1 at Marvel Stadium on 24 March 2019
The profile for Steele in AFL Prospectus 2020 said “Steele continued to be given plenty of responsibility and was one of only three midfielders to have at least 10 major match-ups last season. His opponents were the most difficult of any player and he recorded a defensive rating of +7% with his scalps including Clayton Oliver and Rory Sloane. He has built his game around defense, averaging 3.2 AFL Player Ratings from defensive acts – ranked No. 1 amongst midfielders.”12
During 2019 Steele averaged 9.8 kicks, 12.1 handballs, 4.0 marks, 8.2 tackles, 9.6 contested possessions and 0.15 goals per game. In 2019 Steele had at least 20 disposals in 16 of his 20 AFL games and laid at least seven tackles in 17 games. Steele led the AFL for tackles with 164, three ahead of West Coast midfielder Elliot Yeo. At the Trevor Barker Award Steele polled 151 votes to finish in third place for the second year in a row, behind fellow midfielder Seb Ross (170 votes), and one vote behind ruckman Rowan Marshall (152) with wingman Jack Billings (140) finishing fourth.
Steele wins the Saints 2020 best and fairest and is selected in the All-Australian team
On 5 September 2019 Brett Ratten was appointed as St Kilda’s head coach. There were significant changes to St Kilda’s list between the 2019 and 2020 seasons with Jack Steven, Josh Bruce and Blake Acres being traded to Geelong, the Western Bulldogs and Fremantle respectively. St Kilda identified deficiencies on their list and targeted players to improve these areas, recruiting midfielder Zak Jones from Sydney, wingman Brad Hill from Fremantle, small forward Dan Butler from Richmond, key defender Dougal Howard and ruckman Paddy Ryder both from Port Adelaide.
From the second half of the 2018 season until the end of the 2019 season Steele was one of the best run-with players in the AFL, excelling in the role of negating his opponent and also winning the ball himself, however new St Kilda head coach Brett Ratten wanted to free Steele up and enable him to focus more on the offensive side of his game in 2020. During Steele’s exit meeting at the end of the 2019 season Ratten commented to Steele “I want to let you off the chain next year, mate.” In early September 2020 Steele commented to saints.com.au on his 2019 exit meeting with Ratten, saying “Ratts obviously saw a lot more room for growth in me. It was good to hear they backed me in then, because it allowed me to train hard and work towards something over the off-season and pre-season.”13
In the week before the 2020 AFL home and away season commenced it was announced that due to the uncertainty regarding COVID-19 that the structure of the season and length of games would be condensed. During the 2020 home and away season each club played 17 games comprised of one game against each of the other AFL clubs, a reduction from each team playing 22 games across 23 rounds. The length of quarters was reduced from 20 minutes plus time-on to 16 minutes plus time-on to enable a shorter break between games if required.
Round 1 of the 2020 AFL season was played as scheduled from March 19 to 22 however crowds weren’t allowed to attend games held in Victoria. With the number of COVID-19 cases escalating rapidly and the Australian Government imposing travel restrictions the AFL announced on Sunday March 22 that the season would be paused for just under three months. Due to COVID-19 restrictions place by State Governments there were reduced capacities at AFL games. When the season resumed in Round 2 games continued to be played in Victoria but without spectators.
After 82 AFL games from his debut in Round 12, 2015 until Round 4, 2020 Steele had polled a total of five Brownlow Medal votes including one best afield performance against West Coast in Round 20, 2017. In a phenomenal 2020 season Steele polled 20 Brownlow Medal votes commencing with three votes against Carlton for a Round 5 performance in which he had 11 kicks, a game-high 12 handballs, took six marks and laid a team high nine tackles – four more than the second ranked player for the game, Steele also polled the maximum 10 coaches votes.
Due to the escalation in positive COVID-19 cases in Victoria all 10 Victorian clubs entered hubs outside Victoria in early July. For the remainder of the season St Kilda were based in Noosa on the Sunshine Coast in South East Queensland. From Round 6 to Round 18 St Kilda played most of their games in Queensland at Metricon Stadium or the Gabba.
In five of his six games from Round 5 to Round 10 Steele polled Brownlow Medal votes including four best afield performances to amass 13 votes during this period, with the Saints winning all five games that Steele polled votes in. Highlighting how dominant Steele was during this six week period only 11 players polled more than 13 Brownlow Medal votes for the entire 2020 season.
The one game in the six game stretch from Round 5 to Round 10 that Steele didn’t poll any Brownlow Medal votes proved to be a turning point. St Kilda led Fremantle by 37 points early in the second quarter, however the Dockers overran the Saints 11 goals to four from that point on to win by a goal. In the “Insider Access: The ‘hard conversation’ that sharpened up Steele” video St Kilda head coach Brett Ratten commented “We had a pretty hard conversation after the Fremantle game. It was around him and his influence on others and from that moment onwards I could see him shift some of the behaviours and he really grew from that moment. It was a bit of an uncomfortable conversation for him, but we had to have it and it was one that I think he really stood up and took ownership of that conversation or the moment that he was in, in the game and then I think he started to know how he could influence others by not just his performance but by his body language, his voice, his support, these things which was really critical.“
After the loss to Fremantle in Round 6 St Kilda had a record of three wins and three losses and were seventh on the ladder two games behind the ladder leading Port Adelaide and one game behind Geelong who were second on the ladder.
Whilst Steele wasn’t an official member of St Kilda’s leadership group he started to attend leadership group meetings during 2020 and took on more responsibility in this area.
Later in “Insider Access: The ‘hard conversation’ that sharpened up Steele” Ratten commented on Steele “I think his performance on the field sort of speaks for itself, but I thought it was the work he did away from the game, his care for others he’s prepared to put in extra time with the Bytel’s and sit down. I think he started to speak up and I think that is a bit of self-confidence as well. In his performance he could feel that his performance was going to this level and I think that allowed him to really start to direct the group and lead from a leadership point of view.”
Against Adelaide in Round 7 Steele had 13 kicks, a team-high 13 handballs, took three marks, had a game-high 13 clearances – six more than the second ranked player for the game, 20 contested possessions – 10 more than the second ranked Saint, kicked a goal and scored 162 SuperCoach points in the 23 point victory at Adelaide Oval.
After Round 10 St Kilda had a record of seven wins and three losses to be second on the ladder, a game and percentage behind Port Adelaide. The Saints lost three of their next four games which included back to back nail biting losses to Brisbane by two points in Round 13 and to Melbourne by three points in Round 14.
In early September 2020 it was announced that Steele had signed a two-year contract extension with St Kilda until the end of the 2022 season. St Kilda’s head of list management James Gallagher commented “We’re rapt that Jack has recommitted to the Saints. After finishing in the top three in both the 2018 and 2019 Trevor Barker Awards, Jack has elevated his game in 2020 to a very high level, which is just reward for the hard work, competitiveness and determination that we at the football club see from Jack on a daily basis. As pleasing as Jack’s performances in 2020 have been, his leadership and positive influence on his teammates have been equally as impressive. He’s an incredibly competitive footballer, and also a very popular, humble and well-respected player off the field.”14
St Kilda’s final round victory against Steele’s former club – the GWS Giants by 52 points at the Gabba secured the club’s first finals berth since 2011. Only one St Kilda player remained on the Saints list from that elimination final loss to Sydney, Jarryn Geary.
St Kilda won a thrilling elimination final against the Western Bulldogs by three points at the Gabba to record the club’s first finals win since the 2010 preliminary final which was also against the Bulldogs. In the Saints finals win Steele had eight kicks, eight handballs and laid an equal game-high six tackles. Steele had an equal team-high 25 disposals comprised of 10 kicks and 15 handballs and kicked a goal in St Kilda’s 31 point semi-final loss at Metricon Stadium to reigning premiers Richmond who went on to win the 2020 AFL premiership.
Steele was extremely consistent throughout 2020, and despite the quarters being reduced from 20 minutes plus time-on in 2019 to 16 minutes plus time-on in 2020 Steele had at least 21 disposals in 16 of his 19 games during 2020 including six games with more than 24 disposals.
During 2020 Steele played all 19 games for St Kilda, averaging 10.7 kicks, 11.2 handballs, 3.8 marks, 5.5 tackles, 11.0 contested possessions and 0.6 goals per game. Steele led St Kilda for disposals, handballs, contested possessions, score assists, clearances, tackles and inside 50’s, ranked second for kicks, third for uncontested possessions and equal seventh for goals.
At the 2020 St Kilda best and fairest Steele polled 207 votes to be a run-away winner of the Trevor Barker Award, 81 votes ahead of runner-up Dan Butler with key defender Dougal Howard third on 122 votes. At the best and fairest Steele also won the Lenny Hayes Players’ Crest Award and the Dare Iced Coffee Sainter of the Year Award as voted by St Kilda supporters. Steele was selected in the 2020 All-Australian team on the interchange, becoming the first Saints player to make the team since Nick Riewoldt in 2014. Small forward Dan Butler was selected in the 40 player All-Australian squad but didn’t make the final 22 player team.
At a press conference on 25 September 2020, the day after being named in the 2020 All-Australian team Steele commented. “I suppose going back three years if you had of told me that I was going to be in the All-Australian side I probably wouldn’t have believed you, yeah, I am extremely honoured.”
During the press conference on 25 September Steele commented “One part of my game that I just wanted to get better at is just my consistent performance and I feel like I did that this year and was lucky enough to be rewarded with the honours.”
On his leadership Steele commented “Yeah, that has been a focus off-field and on game-day just to become a leader for this group, this young group. Ratts came to me about it and it is definitely something I have been working towards.”
During the 2020 AFL home and away season Steele ranked second in the AFL for total tackles, third for pressure points, equal fifth for clearances, equal sixth for score assists, eighth for contested possessions and 15th for disposals. Steele averaged 122.5 SuperCoach points per game, ranked third in the AFL behind Melbourne ruckman Max Gawn (139.9 points per game) and Brisbane midfielder Lachie Neale (134.4).
At the 2020 Brownlow Medal Steele polled quadruple the number of votes that he had in his career before the 2020 season. After polling a total of five Brownlow Medal votes in his first five seasons from 2015 and 2019, Steele polled 20 votes in 2020 to finish equal third with Christian Petracca, 11 votes behind Brownlow Medal winner Lachie Neal and one vote behind runner-up Travis Boak. Steele’s 20 votes were comprised of four 3’s, three 2’s and two 1’s. Steele’s four best afield games ranked equal fourth with Cam Guthrie and Toby Greene, behind Lachie Neale (10), Christian Petracca (6) and Travis Boak (5).
Steele was one of four players to finish in the top five of the Brownlow Medal, AFL Players’ Association Most Valuable Player Award and the Coaches Association Champion Player of the Year Award along with Lachie Neale, Travis Boak and Christian Petracca which highlights how influential he was during 2020. Steele finished fifth in the AFL Players’ Association Most Valuable Player Award behind fellow midfielders Lachie Neale, Travis Boak, Christian Petracca and key forward Tom Hawkins. Steele polled 72 votes to finish fourth in the AFL Coaches Association Champion Player of the Year Award behind Neale (93), Petracca (78) and Boak (77), with Collingwood midfielder Taylor Adams (60) finishing fifth.
Steele gets promoted to Saints co-captain for 2021, wins the St Kilda b & f and is selected in the All-Australian team
In February 2021 Steele was appointed St Kilda co-captain alongside Jarryn Geary who had been the Saints sole captain in the previous four seasons from 2017 to 2020. Tim Membrey and Dougal Howard were named joint vice captains and the seven man leadership group was completed by Seb Ross, Jack Billings and Callum Wilkie. Due to a fractured leg Geary missed the start of the 2021 AFL season and was expected to make his return in the middle of the season. St Kilda had multiple captains in 2021 for the first time since the club had three captains in 2007 – Riewoldt, Lenny Hayes and Luke Ball.
On being named St Kilda co-captain Steele said “It’s a real honour and a privilege to lead the St Kilda Football Club out in the season coming, especially doing it next to Gears who has been my captain since I got to the club, so it’s a real honour and I am proud to do it.”
At the press conference Steele was asked “Does it take a bit of pressure off you (being a co-captain), do you feel you could have done it on your own?” Steele responded “Yeah, it probably does take a little bit of pressure off me. I feel like I still have full support of the playing group and Gears himself so whether he was next to me standing here now or he wasn’t I would still feel as though I have a lot of support around me.”
At the press conference in February 2021 Geary was asked “Was this on the cards regardless of the injury, or did this expediate the process?” Geary responded “It was certainly on the cards, it was probably a longer process this year than it had been previous. Probably because we hadn’t had anyone who had stood out as much as Jack had, previously. The process is probably a little bit longer, probably conversations I had been having with Ratts and Lethers and Roughy and Jack probably before Christmas on what leadership looked like this year. It has been a bit of a process and I am just really thankful it has come to this point, I am really proud to stand next to Jack, the person and the player he has become is something that I have been really impressed with and I am really confident that he is going to be a great leader, not just for this year but many years to come.”
In a video “Insider Access: The ‘hard conversation’ that sharpened up Steele” published on AFL.com.au on 17 March 2021 Steele recalled his first AFL goal and the progression to now be Saints co-captain alongside Geary, saying “It’s a funny thing, I took my first contested mark and kicked my first goal on Gears. That’s when I was playing at the Giants so I feel like I’ve got his respect before I even walked in the doors of this footy club. He’s always had a lot of faith and confidence in me and how I play, the leader that I can potentially become for this football club.”
An undermanned St Kilda line-up started the 2021 season well on the road in wet conditions, defeating the GWS Giants by eight points at the Sydney Showgrounds in Round 1 after trailing by 12 points at the 14 minute mark of the last quarter. Several Saints players from their best 22 were injured or unavailable with players in this category being ruck duo Rowan Marshall and Paddy Ryder, midfielders Brad Crouch, Zak Jones and Dan Hannebery, key forward Max King, and small defenders Geary and Ben Paton. From this group of eight players Crouch and King both played 20 games during 2021 to be the only ones to play over 13 AFL games for the season. Jones and Marshall played 13 games each, Ryder played 12 games, whilst Geary and Hannebery were restricted to three games and two games respectively. Due to a broken leg in the pre-season Paton didn’t play a game.
In Round 3, 2021 at Marvel Stadium Steele played his 100th AFL game at 25 years of age against Essendon. Steele was the 10th player selected at the 2014 National Draft to reach 100 AFL games, joining the following players in that category: Touk Miller, Brayden Maynard, Harris Andrews, Caleb Daniel, Isaac Heeney, Lachie Weller, Christian Petracca, Liam Duggan and Jordan De Goey.
During his milestone game Steele had a then equal career-high 35 disposals comprised of 18 kicks and 17 handballs, however St Kilda were outworked, laying a total of only 32 tackles for the game and Essendon thrashed them by 75 points.
At the 16 minute mark of the third quarter in their Round 4 game against West Coast at Marvel Stadium St Kilda trailed by 33 points. The Saints lifted their pressure and finished the game full of running to dominate from that point on, kicking eight goals, six behinds to West Coast’s solitary behind to have a 53 point turn-around and win by 20 points. Steele led from the front throughout the crucial game, receiving the maximum 10 votes in the AFL Coaches Association Player of the Year Award and three Brownlow Medal votes for his performance in which he had 15 kicks, a game-high 18 handballs and a game-high 33 disposals. Steele kicked the penultimate goal of the game to extend St Kilda’s lead to 14 points at the 22 minute mark of the final term and had five marks, six tackles, six clearances, an equal game-high seven inside 50’s and a game-high 17 contested possessions.
Jack Steele about to receive a handball from Saints teammate Seb Ross against West Coast in Round 4 at Marvel Stadium on 10 April 2021
Against Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium in Round 8 Steele kicked two of St Kilda’s first four goals of the game to play an influential role in St Kilda remaining within striking distance at the last change. After trailing Gold Coast by 15 points at three quarter time St Kilda kicked four unanswered goals in the final quarter to win by nine points. Steele finished the game with 18 kicks, 10 handballs, seven marks, a team-high eight tackles, an equal-high six clearances, an equal team-high 11 contested possessions, kicked an equal team-high two goals, polled three Brownlow medal votes and an equal game-high eight coaches votes along with teammate Billings. The victory against Gold Coast squared the Saints ledger with four wins and four losses.
Although St Kilda recorded only one win in five games from Round 9 to Round 13 Steele maintained a high level of performance during this period, polling a total of four Brownlow Medal votes comprised of the single vote against Geelong and North Melbourne in Rounds 9 and 11 respectively and two votes against Sydney in Round 12. Co-captain Geary played his only AFL games for the season during this period, playing his first AFL game of 2021 in Round 10 vs the Western Bulldogs. Playing in his third consecutive game in Round 12 against Sydney Geary dislocated his shoulder when he attempted to tackle Sydney key forward Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin. Due to Geary’s injuries Steele was St Kilda’s only playing co-captain for the majority of the season.
At their Round 14 bye St Kilda had a record of five wins and eight losses which left them very little margin for error if they were to make the finals for the second season in a row. In Round 15 at the MCG St Kilda played exceptional football to limit Richmond to two goals for the entire game and won by 40 points. Steele had 25 disposals, a game-high nine tackles, nine clearances, 13 contested possessions, polled eight coaches votes and one Brownlow Medal vote.
Jack Steele playing for the Saints against Richmond in Round 15 at the MCG on 25 June 2021
In the week after the victory against Richmond Steele was interviewed by Chris Nice on Sounds of the Saints podcast. Nice asked “Do you feel as co-captain a responsibility, do you sort of wear that (close losses) a little bit more than anyone else and especially seeing that you are out there, just yourself at the moment, not with Gears, you have got a great leadership group around you but do you feel as though you wear that or feel that that little bit extra.” Steele responded “Definitely, yeah I feel like since I have been in the role I don’t really worry about my performance too much, it is more around the team and how we go and how we perform collectively. It’s funny I never thought it would really change as much as it has but it has changed quite a lot. But like you said, got a great leadership team around me, Doug and Tim are both our vice’s so they’re out there with me or they have been for most of the games this year without Gears being there. Feel like I have still got a lot of support out there on the field. We are all pretty tight-knit too so we all work together.”
On his first season as St Kilda co-captain Steele told Sounds of the Saints “Before the season even started I was thinking that I am almost walking into it at the right time when things are going well, we should be winning games of footy, things are going to be easy, whereas that hasn’t happened. Looking back now it probably is a good result that I have faced quite a lot of adversity early in the piece so that when things do go south further on in my captaincy I know what to do and how to respond and what actions to take. It has definitely been tough, a roller-coaster is probably the perfect way to put it because we have won some great games of footy and we have had some stinkers. It has been tough but it has been a learning I suppose.”
On 1 July 2021 Steele commented on leadership and his leadership style to the Sounds of the Saints podcast, saying “I always just pigeon-holed that [being vocal] as being the captain; if you weren’t that then you can’t be captain. On the field I am probably not the quietest but I’m not the loudest and I don’t really probably articulate myself as well as some other leaders that I play with including Gears, so I feel like I’m one that goes out there and tries to lead by example. Even through juniors I was never a captain, was never seen as a leader I don’t think, but there’s just so many different types of leadership and that’s one thing that I’d love to tell everyone. Everyone leads in their own way. There’s blokes that aren’t in the leadership group that are leading their own way. I just never thought I was going to be in that position, I suppose. It’s still a bit weird to be in this position, but there’s just so many different types of leadership. It’s just important to stick to your way and don’t be someone or something that you’re not.”
Against Collingwood at the MCG in Round 16 Steele had a game-high 36 disposals comprised of 16 kicks and 20 handballs, five marks, a game-high 14 tackles, a team-high six inside 50’s, eight clearances, a team-high 15 contested possessions, a team-high 18 uncontested possessions and a game-high three goal assists in the nine point victory to poll 3 Brownlow Medal votes and 10 coaches votes.
Jack Steele playing for St Kilda against Collingwood in Round 16 at the MCG on 4 July 2021
In Round 17 against Brisbane at the Metricon Stadium Steele had a game-high 32 disposals comprised of 13 kicks and a game-high 19 handballs, laid an equal game-high seven tackles, six clearances, 12 contested possessions, an equal game-high 20 uncontested possessions, one goal assist and kicked two goals in the upset 32 point victory to be judged best afield by the umpires and coaches for the second week in a row.
A 13 point loss to Port Adelaide at Marvel Stadium in Round 18 ended St Kilda’s winning streak at three games. Steele had a game-high and career-high 37 disposals comprised of 15 kicks and a game-high 22 handballs, he also had seven tackles, 13 contested possessions, 20 uncontested possessions, kicked a goal and polled two Brownlow Medal votes. Port Adelaide midfielder Ollie Wines had 36 disposals, 11 clearances and kicked a goal to be judged best afield.
For the 10th time in 2021 Steele was in the Brownlow Medal votes against Carlton at Marvel Stadium in Round 20, polling one vote for a performance in which he had a game-high 36 disposals comprised of 20 kicks and 16 handballs, he also laid a game-high 14 tackles, eight clearances, a game-high 19 contested possessions, 18 uncontested possessions and two goal assists in the 31 point loss.
Against Sydney at Marvel Stadium in Round 21 Steele played his 100th AFL game for St Kilda, becoming the 131st player of all-time and the eighth current Saints player to achieve this feat, joining Geary, Seb Ross, Jack Billings, Tim Membrey, Jack Sinclair, Luke Dunstan and Jimmy Webster in this category. Following three consecutive losses the Saints returned to the winners list with a 29 point victory against Sydney. Steele had a game-high 34 disposals comprised of 15 kicks and a game-high 19 handballs, he also had six marks, seven tackles, seven clearances, a team-high 14 contested possessions, 20 uncontested possessions, one goal assist and kicked a goal in the 29 point victory to poll three Brownlow Medal votes.
Steele concluded the 2021 home and away season with a best afield performance against Fremantle in Round 23 at Bellerive Oval, having a game-high 36 disposals comprised of an equal game-high 17 kicks and a team-high 19 handballs, seven marks, six tackles, an equal game-high six rebound 50’s, six inside 50’s, an equal game-high six clearances, a game-high 17 contested possessions and 19 uncontested possessions in the 58 point victory.
St Kilda had 10 wins and 12 losses in 2021 to finish 10th on the ladder, four premiership points and percentage behind eighth placed Essendon. During 2021 Steele played all 22 games for St Kilda, averaging 14.1 kicks, 15.1 handballs, 4.7 marks, 8.4 tackles, 13.9 contested possessions, 0.6 goals and 85.0% game-time per game. Steele led St Kilda for disposals, kicks, handballs, contested possessions, tackles, clearances and inside 50’s, ranked second for uncontested possessions, third for goal assists, fourth for marks, sixth for goals and one percenters and seventh for rebound 50’s. Steele set new career-highs for kicks, handballs, disposals, tackles, rebound 50’s, inside 50’s, clearances, contested possessions and uncontested possessions per game. In 2021 Steele kicked a career-high 13 goals for the season and set a new career-high for most goals in a game with three goals against Melbourne at Marvel Stadium in Round 2.
Highlighting how dominant Steele was at St Kilda in 2021, his lead over the second ranked Saints player for totals in the following five categories was over 20% – tackles (69.7%), inside 50’s (59.1%), clearances (40.8%), contested possessions (36.2%) and disposals (21.8%). Steele was one of only four Saints to play all 22 games along with Callum Wilkie, Dan Butler and Brad Hill. During the 2021 home and away season Steele ranked second in the AFL for tackles per game, third for pressure points, fifth for contested possessions, 12th for handballs, 14th for clearances, 18th for inside 50’s, 16th for disposals, and ranked second for SuperCoach points with 126.0 per game, behind Western Bulldogs midfielder Jack Macrae (128.6).
Jack Steele playing for St Kilda against West Coast in Round 4 at Marvel Stadium on 10 April 2021
In Steele’s first 108 AFL games until Round 11 2021 he had at least 30 disposals in a game five times. This figure is understated due to quarters in 2020 being reduced from 20 minutes plus time on to 16 minutes plus time on. Working on a disposals per minute basis 24 disposals in 2020 is equivalent to 30 disposals from 2015 to 2019 and in 2021. Steele had at least 24 disposals in game six times in 2020, if these games are added to his tally he had 11 games with at least 30 disposals (or equivalent) in the first 108 games of his career at a strike rate of 10.2%. In his last 11 games of 2021 from Round 12 onwards Steele had at least 30 disposals in a game nine times at a phenomenal strike rate of 81.8%.
At the 2021 AFL Players’ Association Awards on 2 September Steele featured prominently, finishing in the top five of three awards. In his first season as St Kilda co-captain Steele polled 83 votes in the best captain award to finish third behind the two Grand Final captains, Western Bulldogs midfielder Marcus Bontempelli (224 votes) and Melbourne ruckman Max Gawn (87). Steele finished fifth in the AFLPA’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award with 261 votes behind Bontempelli (1,176), Sam Walsh (426), Touk Miller (411) and Christian Petracca (338). Steele is one of only two players along with Petracca that finished in the top five of the AFLPA MVP award in both 2020 and 2021. Steele won the AFLPA’s Robert Rose most courageous award with 186 votes, ahead of Adelaide defender Tom Doedee (118) and Richmond defender Liam Baker (61). Steele became the first St Kilda player to win the Robert Rose most courageous award which was introduced in 1991.
To celebrate Steele winning the AFLPA Robert Rose Most courageous player award an article was published on aflplayers.com.au where Steele’s former St Kilda teammate Logan Austin and current Saints Assistant coach Brendon Lade wrote about Steele. Austin wrote “Anyone that knows Jack knows he’s such a friendly, humble guy, but it’s just his competitiveness. He’s not even thinking about the consequences of putting himself in a bad situation. It’s more like, ‘For me to win this ball, this is what I have to do right now’. There’s not even a thought of how dangerous the situation is; he’s doing whatever he can to win that ball and do well for his team.”15
Lade wrote about Steele “We used him as a tagger for around three years, where he learnt what to do and what not to do off the best players in the league. Even then, he was super tough and brave. He wins the ball well and pressures as well as anyone, and not many midfielders do both. He keeps turning up to the contest, keeps putting his head over ball, keeps going back with the flight, keeps challenging his teammates. It’s an all-round game that he’s got. We like everything about him at our footy club. He’s only going to grow, because he’s still just 25.”16
Steele was selected on the interchange of the 2021 All-Australian team to be one of just seven players selected in the 22 player team in both 2020 and 2021 along with ruckmen Max Gawn and Nic Naitanui, fellow midfielders Marcus Bontempelli, Christian Petracca, and Jack Macrae and key forward Tom Hawkins.
At St Kilda’s 2021 best and fairest Steele polled 234 votes to finish 79 votes ahead of runner-up, half-back Jack Sinclair and 98 votes ahead of key forward Tim Membrey in third place. It was the first top three finish in the Saints best and fairest for both Sinclair and Membrey. Callum Wilkie finished fourth on 124 votes, followed by Brad Crouch and Brad Hill in equal fifth place on 120 votes. Two-time Trevor Barker Award winner, Seb Ross (2017 and 2019) was seventh on 117 votes and defender Dougal Howard eighth on 112 votes. In both 2020 and 2021 the Trevor Barker Award runner-ups vote tally has been less than two thirds of Steele’s votes.
At St Kilda’s 2021 best and fairest Steele won a total of three awards, also receiving the Dare Sainter of the Year Award as voted by Saints fans and the Lenny Hayes Crest Player Award presented by Challenge. Jack Sinclair won the Robert Harvey Best Clubman Award and Max King received the Best Emerging Player Award.
Only two players on St Kilda’s 2021 list have won the Trevor Barker Award as St Kilda best and fairest, with Steele and Seb Ross each winning the prestigious award twice. Ross commented to saints.com.au on Steele “I know the Saints fans love him, all his teammates love him and he’s just someone that you can trust week in, week out. He leads from the front, you can never question his effort or his courage: everything he does is for the team.”17
At the 2021 Brownlow Medal on 19 September Steele polled three votes in the first seven rounds, all for a best afield performance against the West Coast Eagles in Round 4. After Round 7 Sam Walsh led the count with 12 votes, ahead of eventual winner Ollie Wines on 11 votes. From Round 8 to Round 23 Steele was extremely consistent and polled a total of 23 votes, receiving votes in 11 of his 14 games during this period. Steele’s total of 26 votes in 2021 was comprised of six threes, two twos and four ones. Steele finished in equal fifth place with Darcy Parish, 10 votes behind the winner, Ollie Wines who polled 36 votes. Marcus Bontempelli was runner-up with 33 votes, Clayton Oliver third with 31 votes and Sam Walsh fourth with 30 votes. Steele’s six best afield performances ranked equal sixth with Tom Mitchell, behind Marcus Bontempelli (9), Ollie Wines, Clayton Oliver and Sam Walsh (all 8) and Darcy Parish (7). Only two players surpassed Steele polling votes in a dozen games, with Wines and Oliver polling in 16 and 13 games respectively.
During the 2021 count Steele increased his career tally to 51 Brownlow Medal votes and made it back to back seasons polling at least 20 votes. The previous St Kilda player to have back to back seasons with at least 20 votes is Robert Harvey in his 1997 and 1998 Brownlow Medal winning seasons, Harvey polled 26 votes in 1997 followed by 32 votes in 1998.
In 2022 Steele has fifth consecutive podium finish in the Saints best and fairest
In late January 2022 Steele was appointed St Kilda’s sole captain for the 2022 season with 2021 co-captain Geary remaining in the five player leadership group for 2022. Tim Membrey and Dougal Howard continued as co vice-captains and defender Callum Wilkie completed the club’s five player leadership group for 2022. Steele told saints.com.au “I’m incredibly proud to be voted in as captain – it means the world to me. I love this footy club and I couldn’t feel more honoured to hold this position. Holding the role by myself this year will be a challenge, but one I feel I’m ready to face thanks to the support of so many great people around me, especially Jarryn.”18
St Kilda Senior Coach Brett Ratten commented on Steele “We all saw it last year, but the way Jack was able to lead by example and bring his teammates along with him was outstanding. Although he was forced to lead the side on his own in Jarryn’s absence, he really shouldered the responsibility without taking a backwards step. You could see his confidence continue to grow as he found his feet as a leader of the club and that’s resulted in quite a seamless transition into the role of sole captain for 2022.” 19
After having a 17 point loss to Collingwood in Round 1 of the 2023 season at Marvel Stadium the Saints won five consecutive games from Round 2 to Round 6 to be fifth on the ladder, one win behind first placed Melbourne.
From Round 3 to Round 5 Steele polled multiple Brownlow Medal votes playing as a midfielder in each of St Kilda’s victories. In Round 3 against Richmond at Marvel Stadium Steele had a team-high 19 kicks, 13 handballs, a game-high nine inside 50’s, five clearances and an equal game-high two goal assists to poll two Brownlow Medal votes in St Kilda’s 34 point win.
Jack Steele playing for the Saints against Richmond in Round 3 at Marvel Stadium on 3 April 2022
The following week Steele polled the maximum three Brownlow Medal votes against Hawthorn in Round 4, having 15 kicks, an equal team-high 18 handballs, 10 marks, a team-high 15 contested possessions, 19 uncontested possessions, one goal assist and kicked a goal in the Saints 69 point victory at the MCG.
Against Gold Coast in Round 5 at Marvel Stadium Steele had 14 kicks, 13 handballs, took seven marks, laid six tackles, had five clearances, a team-high 14 contested possessions and 15 uncontested possessions in St Kilda’s 26 point victory.
Jack Steele laying a tackle on Touk Miller in the Saints Round 5 game at Marvel Stadium on 16 April 2022 against Gold Coast
In a one point loss to Port Adelaide in a Round 7 home game at Cazaly’s Stadium in Cairns Steele had 15 kicks, a team-high 12 handballs, took an equal team-high five marks, laid a game-high eight tackles, had an equal game-high six clearances and polled two Brownlow Medal votes.
During the second quarter of St Kilda’s Round 9 game against Geelong at Marvel Stadium Steele suffered an injury to the AC joint in his shoulder when he was tackled to ground. Despite the injury Steele played out the game and had 22 disposals in the Saints 10 point win.
Against Geelong Steele ruptured the AC joint in his shoulder and required surgery. St Kilda’s Head of Football David Rath told saints.com.au “Jack’s a really tough guy and committed leader and playing on last night despite his injury is evidence of that. It’s really disappointing to have Jack out for an extended period of time, but it’s important for him to get the treatment he needs to set him up for the second half of the season.”20
Due to his shoulder injury Steele missed four games, he made his AFL return in Round 15 against Sydney. In Round 19 against West Coast at Optus Stadium Steele had a career-high and game-high 40 disposals comprised of 16 kicks and a game-high 24 handballs in the Saints 28 point win. Steele took an equal game-high 10 marks, laid eight tackles, had six inside 50’s, a team-high 10 clearances, polled three Brownlow Medal votes and 10 Coaches votes.
Against Hawthorn in Round 20 at Marvel Stadium Steele had 15 kicks, 16 handballs, laid six tackles, had five clearances, five rebound 50’s, four inside 50’s and polled six Coaches votes in St Kilda’s 12 point victory.
In St Kilda’s final game of the 2022 season Steel had 12 kicks, 15 handballs, took 10 marks, laid nine tackles, had six clearances and polled one Brownlow Medal vote in St Kilda’s 14 point loss to Sydney at Marvel Stadium in Round 23. Despite losing the game St Kilda players polled all six Brownlow Medal votes with Dan Hannebery and Ben Long polling three votes and two vote respectively in what ended up being their last games for the club. After the 2022 Brownlow Medal Count Fox Sports reported that “It was the first time since 2006, and just the second time since 1995, that a team polled all six votes in a game without winning the game.”21
St Kilda finished 10th at the end of the 2022 home and away season with 11 wins, 11 losses and a percentage of 99.3% to be one win and percentage behind the eighth placed Western Bulldogs. In 2022 Steele played 18 of a possible 22 games for St Kilda and averaged 12.6 kicks, 14.5 handballs, 5.0 marks, 7.2 tackles, 11.2 contested possessions and 0.3 goals per game. Steele ranked second at St Kilda for total handballs, tackles, contested possessions and clearances, third for inside 50s, fourth for disposals and fifth for uncontested possessions.
Jack Steele about to kick in the St Kilda’s Round 5 game at Marvel Stadium on 16 April 2022 against Gold Coast
Steele polled 124 votes at St Kilda’s best and fairest to finish third behind defensive duo Jack Sinclair (173 votes) and Callum Wilkie (153). At the 2022 Brownlow Medal Steele polled 13 votes comprised of two 3’s, three 2’s and one 1 to be the Saints leading vote getter ahead of Brad Crouch (10 votes), Jack Sinclair (9 votes) and Jack Higgins (7 votes). During the 2022 season Steele ranked sixth in the AFL for tackles per game, 15th for handballs, 16th for effective disposals, 18th for SuperCoach points and 20th for disposals.
In early July 2022 Brett Ratten signed a two-year extension as St Kilda’s senior coach. Just over three months latter Ratten was dismissed as St Kilda’s senior coach. At a press conference on 14 October 2022 announcing the decision to dismiss Ratten St Kilda president Andrew Bassett commented “Obviously a fair bit has changed (since Ratten re-signed in July). The second half of the season was very different to the first half in particular. Fair to say the review gave me the opportunity to get a process around opinion because what we can see is the results on field got worse. And secondly, some of the processes and some of the issues around our program that we feel we need to take our program forward towards where some of the better clubs are. We thought we needed a new style of leadership.”22
Steele reaches 150 AFL games and captains St Kilda for the third consecutive season in 2023
On 24 October 2022 the St Kilda Football Club announced that Ross Lyon had been appointed as the club’s senior men’s coach for four seasons. Lyon commented “I have always had a strong affinity to the Saints, and it feels incredible to be back here as Senior Coach. I have unfinished business with St Kilda and want to play a role in delivering success to the industry’s most loyal fans.”23
Lyon had been St Kilda’s head coach for five seasons from 2007 to 2011 with the club playing in three Grand Finals during this time. Lyon was also Fremantle’s head coach for eight seasons from 2012 to 2019 which included coaching the club to its first Grand Final appearance in 2014. During his playing career from 1985 to 1995 Lyon played 129 VFL/AFL games comprised of 127 games for Fitzroy and two games for Brisbane.
In the off-season two of the St Kilda Football Club’s greatest players of all-time in Robert Harvey and Lenny Hayes returned to the club as assistant coaches with Harvey coaching the forwards and Hayes coaching the midfield. From 1988 to 2008 Harvey played a St Kilda club record 383 games, won the Saints best and fairest four times and won the Brownlow Medal in 1997 and 1998. Hayes played 297 games for the Saints from 1999 to 2014, won the club’s best and fairest three times and is the only St Kilda player to win a Norm Smith Medal for best afield in a Grand Final. Harvey and Hayes are both members of the Australian Rules Football Hall of Fame.
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Below are links to articles published by Milestones and Misses comprehensively covering the incredible football careers of Robert Harvey and Lenny Hayes as well as the St Kilda and AFL category pages for the site and the Milestones and Misses home page.
https://milestonesandmisses.com/category/st-kilda/
https://milestonesandmisses.com/category/afl/
https://milestonesandmisses.com/
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In 2023 Steele was a St Kilda captain for the third consecutive season in the club’s 150th year. Defender Callum Wilkie was appointed vice-captain and was joined in the five player leadership group by Tim Membrey, Seb Ross and Jack Sinclair. Steele told saints.com.au “I’m so proud to lead this club in what is such a special year for everyone who bleeds red, white and black. Every time I pull on the jumper, the significance of representing generations of Saints fans, staff and players isn’t wasted on me. I’m really looking forward to working closely with Cal, someone I’m lucky to call a close friend. To see Cal grow into the respected and deserving leader he is today is something I’m very proud of and I know he’ll do great things in this role.”24
Jack Steele and St Kilda teammates in a huddle during Round 15 at Marvel Stadium on 23 June 2023 against the Brisbane Lions
In the third quarter of St Kilda’s Round 2 game against the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium Steele suffered a broken collarbone. Steele left the ground for treatment then returned to the field and played out the game despite being hampered by the injury. Steele finished the game with 15 kicks, 14 handballs, five marks, six tackles, seven inside 50’s, six clearances and kicked a goal to poll an equal game-high six Coaches votes along with Saints teammate Rowan Marshall in the 51 point victory.
The day after the victory against the Western Bulldogs it was confirmed by St Kilda that Steele had suffered a broken collarbone and would require surgery. Saints’ acting general manager of football David Misson said “Jack’s as courageous as they come and to play out the game with a broken collarbone was a fantastic effort. We’re looking at a four week recovery window for Jack. As we’ve seen with our playing list so far this season, while injuries aren’t ideal, all we can control is our response and I’m sure another player will step up in Jack’s absence and seize the opportunity to contribute to the team.”25
Due to his collarbone injury Steele missed three games for St Kilda. The first game that Steele missed was the Round 3 home game against Essendon at the MCG celebrating the St Kilda Football Club’s 150th Anniversary. With Steele on the sidelines defender Wilkie was the Saints acting captain.
When Steele made his return to the St Kilda side for Round 6 against Carlton at Marvel Stadium on 23 April the Saints had a record of four wins and one loss. Carlton led by four points at half-time with their captain Patrick Cripps playing an influential first half. In the second half Steele was given the run-with role on Cripps and the Saints kicked six goals to two to win by 22 points. In the post-game press conference St Kilda head coach Ross Lyon commented Steele, we just gave him a bit more focus on Cripps in the second half because it was a big operation, I said consider this part of your rehab after 28 days off getting back in so get set for Port, but I thought he sacrificed his game because Cripps was really shouldering them and I think we started to control him.”
During an interview on SEN’S Sportsday in late April Steele spoke about an adjustment Ross Lyon wanted Steele and Seb Ross to make during pre-season, commenting “I know for me and Seb Ross, we weren’t heavier coming back from the off-season, but we were sitting at about 90 kilos – that’s what we were playing at last year – and the first thing he said to us was: ‘We want to be a running team and we need you to be a little bit lighter.’ So Seb and I got to work with losing a bit of weight and we‘ve been able to hold that off. It’s obviously contributed to the way we’re playing this year and our running capacity through the midfield. That’s just one example and I suppose the rest of the leaders would have their own. He’s just so demanding and he’s a bloke you don’t really want to let down. I’m glad he’s had that impact on the leaders and the rest of the group as well.”26
Against Port Adelaide in a Round 7 Friday night game at Marvel Stadium Steele had 10 kicks, an equal game-high 18 handballs, took five marks, laid a game-high 11 tackles, had 15 contested possessions and kicked a goal in a seven point loss.
Jack Steele kicking a goal for St Kilda early in the 4th quarter against Port Adelaide in Round 7 at Marvel Stadium on 28 April 2023
In St Kilda’s 12 point victory against GWS in Round 10 at Giants Stadium Steele had 12 kicks, 13 handballs, laid a game-high 11 tackles, had six inside 50’s, 13 contested possessions and two goal assists.
Steele had an Achilles issue during the pre-season and suffered two in-game injuries in the first half of the season. Steele suffered a broken collarbone in Round 2 against the Western Bulldogs and he had a medial strain to his knee against Adelaide in Round 9. During a press conference on 21 June St Kilda head coach Ross Lyon commented on Steele “I don’t think he’s at his absolute best, but there’s not a player in the competition that doesn’t need continuity. To expect him to be ‘All-Australian Jack Steele’ off the back of all that is a little unrealistic. We’ve got to look after him, he’s just so important to us.”27
At the end of Round 16 St Kilda were fifth on the AFL ladder with nine wins and six losses. In Steele’s 150th AFL game on Saturday night 8 July at Marvel Stadium the Saints play Melbourne who are fourth on the ladder, percentage ahead of St Kilda. With eight rounds remaining in the 2023 home and away season the Saints are six premiership points ahead of Geelong in ninth place.
In the Ask a Saint | Jack Steele video published on saints.com.au on 6 July 2023 neavv_ab79 asked “How do you assess your own form so far this season?” Steele responded “Yeah, probably haven’t been at the top of my game, haven’t had the year I wanted, but I feel like the team has been really good, we have won plenty of games, there has been some great stories behind that and a lot of our players are stepping up and filling the void. A large part of the reason I haven’t been at the top of my game is my body, I have had a few issues with my body and it is not an excuse, it definitely is a reason. Each week I am starting to feel better and better so hopefully my form starts to return with continuity with my body.”
During a radio interview with SEN on 6 July Sam Edmund asked “You have been co-captain when your form has been at its peak, at its absolute zenith, everything is going well individually and you are leading the club. Is it difficult when you are not able to get to the absolute heights that you know you are capable of even if those reasons are injury or bad luck or things outside of your control. Is it a difficult challenge?” Steele responded “Absolutely it is. For me as someone who hasn’t faced that before, I have struggled with it a little bit. I’ve really tried to work on removing myself as a player and the captain of the club, and I don’t need to be playing well to be a good captain. I just need to look back at one of my past teammates and captains, Jarryn Geary, who was on the sidelines for a large part of the end of his career when he was captain and still led so well. We touch base here and there and he pops his head in every now and again. It’s always good to see him, but he’s probably someone I that I can lean on a little bit more and ask him a few questions. I’ve just got to find ways to lift in my leadership space as a captain on the field, even though my game isn’t completely where I want it to be.”
Later in the Ask a Saint | Jack Steele video b-bingley asked “Most memorable game you’ve played?” Steele replied “Most memorable is a tough question to be honest. We’ve won one final that probably stands out to me, I didn’t have a great performance that day but to be able to play in a final and win one was quite special in the year that it was 2020 against the doggies, I thought that was a pretty good moment. Hopefully there is a few more finals to win before my career is all said and done, hopefully there are some this year, we will wait and see. That was probably the one that stands out the most to me.”
To the end of Round 16 2023 Steele has played 12 of a possible 15 games for St Kilda and averaged 10.3 kicks, 12.4 handballs, 3.4 marks, 7.2 tackles, 10.2 contested possessions, and 0.2 goals per game. At the Saints Steele ranks second for total tackles, third for handballs and clearances and fifth for inside 50’s and contested possessions. Steele ranks fifth in the AFL for tackles per game, he has ranked in the league’s top 10 in all seven seasons he has played for the Saints.
Epilogue
When Steele was growing up in Canberra and was part of the GWS Giants Academy his dream was to play AFL football for the Giants. During 2014 Steele played outstanding football for New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory as a midfielder/forward in both the TAC Cup and the Under 18 National Championships and was rewarded with selection in the 2014 Under 18 All-Australian Team and being named his state’s MVP.
During his two seasons with the GWS Giants in 2015 and 2016 Steele was the epitome of a fringe player, playing 17 AFL games, was named an emergency 14 times and dominated playing for the Giants at State League level in the NEAFL.
Wanting to increase his chances of cementing a position in an AFL team Steele was traded by the GWS Giants to St Kilda during the 2016 trade period in exchange for a 2017 2nd Round pick.
During his seven seasons with St Kilda Steele has consistently performed at a high standard which was rewarded with five consecutive top three finishes in the Saints best and fairest from 2018 to 2022, excelling as a run with player in 2018 and 2019 and then took his game to an even higher stratosphere in a more attacking role in 2020 and 2021.
Throughout 2020 and 2021 Steele was not only St Kilda’s best player to be a run away winner of the club’s best and fairest in both seasons but also one of the best players in the league to earn All-Australian selection in both seasons. Over the 2020 and 2021 home and away seasons Steele polled a total of 172 votes in the AFL Coaches Association Champion Player of the Year Award to lead the AFL during this two season period ahead of fellow midfielders Christian Petracca (162) and Marcus Bontempelli (160). During the 2020 and 2021 home and away seasons Steele polled a total of 46 Brownlow Medal votes, ranked equal first in the AFL with Port Adelaide midfield duo Wines and Boak. Steele also finished in the top five of the AFL Coaches Association Champion Player of the Year Award and the AFL Players’ Association MVP in both 2020 and 2021.
In his 149 AFL games up until Round 16, 2023 Steele has averaged 10.3 kicks, 12.9 handballs, 4.0 marks, 7.0 tackles, 10.5 contested possessions and 0.38 goals per game. Steele has played 132 games for St Kilda and ranks first on the club’s all-time list for tackles per game, ranks second for contested possessions and clearances and third for disposals and handballs.
Steele’s tally of 966 total tackles for the Saints has him ranked fourth on the club’s all-time list behind Australian Rules Football Hall of fame member Lenny Hayes (1,496 tackles), two time All-Australian Leigh Montagna (1,139) and current St Kilda AFLW senior coach Nick Dal Santo (986). Steele has ranked in the AFL’s top 10 for tackles per game in all seven seasons he has played for the Saints from 2017 to 2023.
Jack Steele arrived at St Kilda in the 2016 trade period wanting to play consistent football and cement a position in the Saints side. In his seven seasons with St Kilda from 2017 to the present Jack Steele has excelled with his tackling, courage, leadership, defensive pressure and his ability to win contested possessions and was rewarded with five consecutive podium finishes in the Saints best and fairest from 2018 to 2022 including back to back Trevor Barker Awards in 2020 and 2021. Steele’s brilliant performances for the St Kilda Football Club and his growth as a leader contributed to some achievements beyond his own expectations, becoming the captain of the St Kilda Football Club and being selected in the All-Australian team twice. Jack Steele adds to his list of accomplishments by playing his 150th AFL game tonight, a tremendous achievement, especially given the level of courage Steele has repeatedly displayed throughout his brilliant career.
Article and photographs by Dean Andrews
Twitter – @DeanAndrews7777
References
1 https://www.gwsgiants.com.au/teams/academy
2 https://www.gwsgiants.com.au/news/28440/strong-as-steele
3 https://www.gwsgiants.com.au/news/14559/virgin-australia-arrivals-jack-steele
4 Australian Football League, AFL Record Season 2015, page 184
5 https://www.gwsgiants.com.au/news/108405/two-to-debut
6 https://www.saints.com.au/news/862102/jarryn-geary-the-jack-steele-i-know
7 https://www.afl.com.au/news/90250/giant-becomes-a-saint-steele-deal-done
8 Champion Data, AFL Prospectus – The essential number-cruncher for season 2017 12th Edition, page 325
9 https://www.afl.com.au/news/146240/potbellied-pig-turns-into-man-of-steele
11 Australian Football League, AFL Record Season 2019, page 302
12 Champion Data, AFL Prospectus – The essential number-cruncher for season 2020, 15th Edition, page 326
13 https://www.saints.com.au/news/806855/licence-to-hunt-steele-s-off-season-rev-up-reaps-rewards
14 https://www.afl.com.au/news/495615/the-steele-deal-saints-take-red-hot-midfielder-off-the-table
15 https://www.aflplayers.com.au/news-feed/stories/man-of-steele-the-competitions-most-courageous
16 https://www.aflplayers.com.au/news-feed/stories/man-of-steele-the-competitions-most-courageous
17 https://www.saints.com.au/news/1014673/from-humble-beginnings-to-the-superstar-saint
18 https://www.saints.com.au/news/1052160/steele-to-skipper-st-kilda-in-2022
19 https://www.saints.com.au/news/1052160/steele-to-skipper-st-kilda-in-2022
20 https://www.saints.com.au/news/1126845/steele-to-undergo-surgery
24 https://www.saints.com.au/news/1276918/steele-to-skipper-saints-in-anniversary-year
27 https://www.saints.com.au/news/1362320/reinforced-steele-lyon-backs-in-skipper-to-hit-form
Milestones and Misses
Milestones and Misses publishes articles to celebrate the achievements of sportspeople, mainly in Australian Rules Football (AFL and AFLW) and the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL). In sport as with life in general it is common that milestones are only achieved after overcoming adversity, so whilst the articles on the Milestones and Misses website celebrate sportspeople achieving milestones they also cover the misses along the journey such as a player having minimal game-time or spending a prolonged period on the sidelines due to injury. The aim of the articles is to enable readers to gain a greater appreciation of the journey sportspeople have had during their career.
A link to Milestones and Misses homepage as well as the AFL and St Kilda categories are below:
https://milestonesandmisses.com/
https://milestonesandmisses.com/category/afl/
https://milestonesandmisses.com/category/st-kilda/
The Milestones and Misses website was set up in December 2015. From 2020 onwards articles have been published on the following sportspeople:
AFL
Jack Steele
Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin
Nicky Winmar
Sam Walsh
Luke Jackson
Harry McKay
Seb Ross
Jayden Short
Clayton Oliver
Lenny Hayes
Tim Membrey
Rowan Marshall
AFLW
Ashleigh Riddell
Hayley Miller
Darcy Vescio
Tessa Lavey
Georgia Patrikios
Alyce Parker
Tyla Hanks
Tyanna Smith
Tarni White
Caitlin Greiser
NBL
Nathan Sobey
WNBL
Shaneice Swain
Mia Murray
Steph Reid
Jenna O’Hea
Ally Wilson
Sara Blicavs
Carley Ernst
Kiera Rowe
Chelsea Brook
Sami Whitcomb
Abbey Wehrung
Penny Taylor
Rachel Jarry
Kristy Wallace
Anneli Maley
Lindsay Allen
Jade Melbourne
Maddison Rocci
Cayla George
Kelly Wilson
Steph Talbot
Bec Cole
Aimie Rocci
Abby Bishop
Tessa Lavey
Ezi Magbegor
Zitina Aokuso
Leilani Mitchell
Maddie Garrick
Sara Blicavs
Milestones and misses 