Kieren Jack
2007-2019
256 games
166 goals
Premiership Player 2012
Co-captain 2013-2016
Best & Fairest 2010
All Australian 2013

Born into Rugby League royalty, Kieren Jack first discovered Australian rules football as a Grade Five student at West Pennant Hills Primary School. That's when he first played on the SCG, as his school team won the inaugural Paul Kelly Cup. The seeds were sown, but Jack continued playing League and footy until he was 15.

However, enjoying the open spaces that footy allows, Jack fell in love with the game. Still, missing selection in the state under 15s presented a significant setback. It's no fun to have your hope crushed. You need a force you can generate entirely from inside yourself. An inner spark. It will surprise nobody to learn that Jack persevered.

"I asked for some feedback about why I missed out, and that was when I was told I was too small to play the game," Jack recalled.

"I used that setback to drive me. I'd run every day, and when I hit that pain barrier, I'd say to myself, 'I'm not too small, and I can do this'. I wasn't going to let anybody tell me I couldn't make it."

Working hard on his craft, Jack credits the influence of his NSW state junior coach and Swans Hall of Famer Rod Carter, and the expertise of those at the Pennant Hills Demons, as critical in his development. One day, as a 17-year-old invited to Swans training, he waited nervously for his idols to grace the turf. Adam Goodes was the first to introduce himself. They warmed up together, leaving a lasting impression on his future teammate.

Two months after sitting in the MCG stands as a Swans supporter celebrating the 2005 premiership win, Jack joined the club as a rookie. He entered an environment that celebrated grit and determination, a perfect fit.

"You just had to look around and absorb what the leaders were doing and what the standards were," Jack said. "It's a cycle that we believe in. You have incredibly strong leaders who drive the standards and culture of the place so that when young players come in, the message is, 'Look and learn. Watch what's needed to be an elite player’. The players that succeed are the ones that work hardest. It was never about talent."

While the Bloods culture bound them together, it was no magic pill. It was a blueprint for action. Jack listened, learned and toiled before making his AFL debut in Round 6, 2007, playing twice that year. The following season, he played in all but one match, including the first two of his 22 finals, winning the 2008 Swans' Rising Star Award.

After spending the initial seasons of his career learning by playing on the game's best midfielders, Jack played with more freedom in 2010. His transformation from defensive stopper to attacking weapon was complete when he won the Swans' best and fairest award, kicking 21 goals while also leading the team for tackles.

The regenerated Swans performed well under new coach John Longmire in 2011. A core group of younger players, including Jack, Josh Kennedy, Dan Hannebery, Sam Reid, Lewis Jetta, Luke Parker, and Nick Smith, were playing regularly, and as the year progressed, they gained continuity and understanding of the team's new game plan.

They hit the ground running in 2012. Sydney won its first five games of the season, including an impressive victory over premiership-fancy Hawthorn in Launceston. Jack played his 100^th AFL match in June, pausing for reflection ahead of the game. "It was a tough journey," Jack said.

"I had some really good mentors and coaches that taught me along the way, and I learnt from, and by being able to follow those gun midfielders around, I was able to get a sense of the game and the way it was played, and the patterns players were running. That was something that has taken a while to get used to, but it's come down to hard work."

Jack played with an insatiable thirst for the contest, and the Swans, after phenomenal finals wins over Adelaide and Collingwood, progressed to the 2012 Grand Final against Hawthorn. He vividly recalls the excitement engulfing the young group, hungry to grasp the opportunity before them.

And, after an incredible 10-point win in a match punctuated by violent swings in momentum, Jack and his teammates became premiership players. "Being 24 at the time, I just felt like I was on top of the world. You get to experience it with some of your best mates; it was special," Jack recalled.

"In the change rooms afterwards, you sing the song, and there are just hundreds of people in there, and then it starts to become apparent that so many other people have ridden this journey with you. Everyone else can bask in that and enjoy that for some time."

Established now as one of the team's most influential leaders, the Swans appointed Jack co-captain alongside Jarrad McVeigh in 2013. McVeigh also played his junior football at Pennant Hills, and to have two local NSW products captain the Swans was significant. That year, Jack finished second in the Swans' best and fairest, gained an All-Australian selection, and played his first game alongside his younger brother, Brandon.

From 2012 to 2016, Sydney finished in the top four each year. Jack, a key cog in the Swans' hard-running midfield machine, helped propel the team to two further Grand Finals in 2014 and 2016. Then, they lost the opening six games of the 2017 season before an astonishing form reversal saw them reach an eighth consecutive finals series.

Injuries impacted the final two years of Jack's career, but after announcing his retirement in August 2019, he enjoyed an SCG farewell befitting one of the club's greatest contributors. McVeigh also played his final match that day, while fellow premiership players Nick Smith and Heath Grundy were celebrated as non-playing retirees.

Always a crowd favourite, Jack kicked a trademark running goal in the dying minutes, sending the red and white faithful into raptures. "That was a moment I'll never forget," Jack said. "For me personally, in terms of SCG moments, that's right up there. It was really special."

John Longmire praised Jack's impact on the club and code, "Kieren Jack's story as a trailblazer for the code in this state cannot be underestimated. It would be reasonable to say that Kieren's journey has done as much for the code's development over the past 14 years as any person."

"He soaked up every bit of help from those who were invested and turned himself into one of the most elite two-way runners of his generation. In recent years, Kieren has passed on his knowledge and invested heavily in our younger players—his legacy at this club will be long-lasting."

By his admission, Jack could never have dreamed of the career he worked so hard to create. Once he joined the Swans, he spent two years crafting a reliable kicking technique while dedicating every effort to becoming an AFL footballer. He retired with the seventh-most games ever played by a Swan, impacting the club on a multitude of levels.

Reflecting on his time in red and white, Jack said, "Being a part of the Swans has changed my life. It's given me life lessons that I'll take with me forever. I've got a group of players, friends and connections I'll have for the rest of my life."

"To live an experience where you get to do what you love for 14 years, play in front of big crowds, achieve the ultimate goal, you can't help but feel really proud. Not only of the personal efforts, but proud of being a part of that team, and that group. It wasn't easy; it was bloody hard, but I got so much more back. I feel really fortunate to have been part of the Sydney Swans."