Jack's back to his best for finals
Ben Horne
Daily Telegraph, August 9
SWANS star Kieren Jack admitted he was affected by damning early-season criticism that his career was nosediving.
However, after realising he needed a physical and mental break from the game, Jack now believes he’s back to his very best when it matters most.
In a period that summed up Jack’s toughness, the 30-year-old kept details of his damaging hip injury a closely guarded secret, even if it meant copping more flak over his poor form.
Eventually Jack bit the bullet and accepted he was doing himself and the team no favours by playing through the pain, taking himself out for six weeks of intensive recovery.
Jack’s return has largely coincided with the Swans’ stunning turnaround and the former captain is feeling like an AFL force once more on the eve of the finals.
“I certainly do (feel back in my stride). I needed the time off to get my body right, to get over some issues there. I certainly feel strong enough now to be able to play forward and midfield,” said Jack ahead of Saturday’s showdown with Fremantle at the SCG.
“(The criticism) was a distraction. It’s sometimes hard to not see it and not read it. You try not to but I think I’ve been mentally resilient enough over my career to deal with a lot of different things.
“I’m fortunate I’ve had those experiences which have helped me get over this. I knew the reason why I wasn’t playing well, I just had to get down to work and make sure when I came back I was contributing the way I knew I could.”
Jack issues warning to sling tacklers
Andrew Wu
SMH, August 9
Sydney veteran Kieren Jack says players who dump opponents into the ground in a tackle do so at their own peril after the AFL's recent crackdown.
What was once considered the textbook tackle is set to change after Collingwood's Brodie Grundy became the second player in as many weeks to get suspended.
Grundy's tackle left North Melbourne's Ben Brown concussed, a week after Patrick Dangerfield's Brownlow hopes were extinguished for a similar incident with Carlton's Matthew Kreuzer. In both cases, the player tackled had their arms pinned and were brought to ground unable to break their fall.
While those two tackles led to injuries, there are numerous cases each week where players are tackled in a similar fashion but are not injured.
Although Jack had not seen the Grundy tackle, he said it was clear what was considered acceptable in the current climate.
"There's been so many different rule changes with tackling, with what you can and can't do. The tough part is when you want to in an arm sometimes you can't see where the ball is and whether they've disposed of it or not – that's the delicate issue," Jack said.
"I think what the players are aware of – any slinging to the ground or dumping action will be heavily scrutinised. Whether that takes away the physical aspect of the game or not, who knows?
"There's certainly an element where you can still tackle hard, but you don't have to dump and sling to the ground.
Swan Jack stronger for end of AFL season
Adrian Warren
AAP, The Australian, August 9
Sydney veteran Kieren Jack says he's stronger and building at the right time of the AFL season after an early form slump prompted speculation his distinguished career was close to ending.
The 30-year-old former co-captain struggled through the first five rounds before the club revealed he had been affected by a hip niggle and rested him from their next five games.
Jack said criticism of his early-season form had been distracting but he had developed enough mental resilience over his career to get through that.
But he worries for younger players, whom he said were finding it hard to escape the increasing level of scrutiny, especially from social media platforms.
Jack averaged only 13 disposals across three games before he was rested.
After modest returns in his first three matches back, Jack has averaged 21 touches over his past six games, right up with his career mark.
Shuttling between the forward line and midfield over the past month, Jack has injected his renowned energy into a surging Swans outfit.
"I certainly feel physically I'm in a lot better position now and a lot stronger and I'm playing a little bit more midfield now, which has enabled me to do the things that I know I can do," Jack said on Tuesday.
Jack's return to form and fitness, along with other key stalwarts Jarrad McVeigh and Dane Rampe, have helped Sydney win 11 of their past 13 games to rocket into sixth spot after a 0-6 start.
"It's so close, this competition is so even, but we certainly feel like we're right amongst it." Jack said.
Scrutiny of AFL players concerns Swan Jack
Adrian Warren
AAP, August 9
Sydney veteran Kieren Jack feels for young AFL players are subjected to high levels of scrutiny, especially from social media.
Jack himself has been exposed to plenty of external scrutiny and comment from outside the Swans over the past 13 months.
A family spat was plastered all over conventional and social media in the week leading up to his 200th match in July 2016.
Pundits including former Essendon champion Matthew Lloyd were highly critical of his form early in the 2017 season, before he was rested by the Swans after they revealed he had been hampered by a hip complaint in the first five rounds.
Forward-midfielder Jack, who has returned to good from over the past month, said negative commentary was distracting and it was hard to avoid.
"But I think I've been mentally resilient enough over my career to deal with a lot of different things," Jack said.
"I'm fortunate that I've had those experiences which helped me get over this. .
"Certainly I do feel for young players now coming through the system that the levels of scrutiny and what's available, social media platforms...it's hard to escape at times.
Nic Newman’s delight for Frankston’s VFL return and contributing to Swans’ turnaround
Ben Waterworth
Fox Sports, August 9
OF ALL the players in the Dolphins’ impressive alumni, few were as thrilled as Nic Newman last Friday afternoon.
The Sydney wingman was scrolling through his social media feeds ahead of his side’s crunch clash against Geelong when a heart-warming headline caught his eye: “Frankston’s back in the VFL.”
Newman’s former club had just been accepted back into the league by AFL Victoria after a massive campaign helped the Dolphins lower debts of over $1 million, which was a major cause for their omission from the competition for 2017.
It was the best pre-game news for Newman, who two years ago announced himself to AFL club recruiters — specifically the Swans — with a stunning VFL campaign that saw him win the Fothergill Round Medal as the league’s most promising young talent aged 23 and under.
Speaking just hours after Frankston’s joyous reintroduction, Newman was understandably “rapt” for the club that helped boost his AFL draft prospects.
“They were a big part of my life when I played down there. I’m really thankful for the opportunity I got because it helped me get to where I am now and helped me get drafted,” Newman told foxfooty.com.au after the Swans’ 46-point win over Geelong.
“I’m so happy for them, there have been so many people that have worked so hard behind the scenes to get them up and going again.”
A major argument in Frankston’s case to return to the VFL was that it would help develop the talent pathway in the south-east region — a point Newman can certainly empathise with.
Newman is one of several AFL-listed players that have been plucked from the VFL after impressing with the Dolphins over various seasons.
As well as Newman, the noteworthy list includes Essendon’s Mark Baguley, retiring Bulldog Matthew Boyd, Melbourne’s Michael Hibberd and Richmond’s Sam Lloyd, as well as ex-Tiger and Kangaroo Aaron Edwards and former Magpie Kyle Martin.
