Two days before the club’s round 11 clash with Adelaide in 2013, coach John Longmire gave Kieren the chance to share the news with Brandon that he’d be boarding the plane to Adelaide and would be making his debut that weekend.
Speaking to SwansTV for Volkswagen’s Photo Moment, Kieren recalled the moment he broke the good news to Brandon.
“I was really fortunate,” he said.
“John Longmire spoke to me on the Thursday pre the game and he said ‘do you want to tell your brother he’s going to play?’ and I told him that I’d love to.
“We grabbed him from lunch and took him to the Board Room, just the three of us and I had the pleasure of telling him he was going to play his first game.
“He was a bit lost for words and said ‘that’s awesome!’ and he was just really keen and eager, and it was just a special moment and we had a bit of a hug.”
Starting the match in the green substitute vest, Brandon had to wait the best part of three quarters before he set foot on AAMI Stadium for his first taste of senior football.
Fortunately for the teenager, it didn’t take long for him to show his potential, with Brandon collecting the ball at half-forward and setting up former Swan Jude Bolton for a goal.
“It’s one that we’ll never forget, because I think you never forget your first game, so he’ll never forget that, and it holds a special place for me because he’s my little brother and I was looking out for him in that game,” Kieren said of Brandon’s debut.
“I just wanted him to do well and be part of a win and I was glad it could happen for him.
“We had a magnificent victory and we beat Adelaide over there in Adelaide.
“There was a lot of build up during the week about his first game and it was something very special for our family to be playing alongside each other as brothers.
“Coming off the ground we did an on-field interview and I just remember asking him how it was and he said it was “bloody fantastic” and he’d had a lot of fun out there.”
The Jack brothers were photographed celebrating after the win over the Crows, which is an image the Jack family treasures.
“I’m really glad that a lot of photographs of us are now coming up of us enjoying special moments,” Kieren said.
“I know it’s certainly something special for my family, and my mum and dad, who have ended up making a scrap book and putting them away and we’ll certainly look back on when we’re finished.”
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