Kieren Jack has kept it simple in his first AFL season as Sydney co-captain, and with great effect for the reigning premiers.
Jack is in career-best form, as indicated by the fact he currently tops Gold Coast superstar Gary Ablett in the voting for the AFL Coaches Association’ player of the year.
Since stepping into the enormous shoes of Adam Goodes, who relinquished the key post on the eve of the season, Jack has hardly missed a beat.
The 26-year-old says he’s felt no added burden or need to tinker with his game, crediting the club’s past leaders for showing him what captaincy really means.
“Leading by example is probably one of the things I really wanted to focus on,” Jack told the club website on Wednesday.
“Looking at some of the previous leaders of this club in Brett Kirk, Craig Bolton, they all lead by example and did it on a consistent basis.
“So that was something that I really wanted to take on board and just play well and play the type of footy that I know I’m capable of and I put a lot of pressure on myself to do that.
“…I’ve been around the club now for a long time and I know my role and I know what I’m good at as a player.
“I’m just trying to bring that week in, week out and especially now that we’ve got a lot of younger boys coming in, show them what it’s like playing for the Swans and what is expected.”
Jack noted he was below his best in the Swans’ last-start loss to Collingwood but, as coach John Longmire said earlier this week, the midfielder certainly wasn’t alone.
Kieren, the son of NSW rugby league royalty Garry Jack, implored his teammates to make a statement when they host St Kilda at the SCG on Sunday.
“(It’s) important to be playing well at this time of year and you just want to be putting wins on the board and getting some momentum,” Jack said.
Aside from his own stellar form, Jack has taken great delight in the steps taken by younger brother Brandon this season.
Brandon Jack has come off the rookie list to play eight games in his first season at the Swans.
“He’s done really well and I’m really proud of him and the way he’s bought into the club,” Kieren Jack said.
“He’s really grown as a player and as a person … he’s worked really hard.”
