1. Jack Steele was born on 13 December 1995 and is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the St Kilda Football Club in the Australian Football League.
46 Facts About Jack Steele
1. 2.
Jack Steele previously played for the Greater Western Sydney Giants from 2015 to 2016.
3.
Jack Steele served as St Kilda co-captain in 2021, and has served as the sole captain since the 2022 season.
4.
Jack Steele initially joined the Gungahlin Jets as a junior before switching to the Belconnen Magpies junior system.
5.
Jack Steele was a budding sportsman as a junior, playing cricket and soccer, while he played basketball with future tennis star Nick Kyrgios when he was 12.
6.
Jack Steele eventually focused on AFL at around 15 or 16.
7.
In 2012 Jack Steele had a taste of football at senior level, playing six games for the University of Western Sydney Giants in the NEAFL.
8.
In May 2013 Jack Steele dislocated his knee at the team's training camp in Coffs Harbour a week before the Under 18 National Championships.
9.
Jack Steele averaged averaging 24.7 disposals, 6.8 marks, 6.7 tackles, 12.0 contested possessions and 1.0 goals per game for Rams in the TAC Cup.
10.
Jack Steele was selected on the interchange in the 2014 Under 18 All-Australian team.
11.
Canberra-raised AFL footballers were uncommon at the time of Jack Steele's drafting, with Jason Tutt the most recent Canberran to be drafted in the AFL.
12.
Jack Steele was drafted by Greater Western Sydney as an academy player with pick 24 overall in the 2014 AFL draft after the North Melbourne Football Club unsuccessfully bid for him with their first round pick listed as 16 overall.
13.
Jack Steele coincidentally made his debut against North Melbourne in round 12 of the 2015 season and impressed with 17 disposals and 10 tackles.
14.
Jack Steele played seven AFL games in his debut season at the Giants including six consecutive games from Round 12 to Round 18, and played a further 11 with their NEAFL side where he was in their best players eight times.
15.
Jack Steele commenced 2016 in the seniors and had 11 disposals and kicked one goal against Melbourne in Round 1.
16.
Jack Steele was omitted for Round 2 but his time in the NEAFL was short-lived, being recalled to the senior side in Round 4.
17.
In five AFL games from Round 4 to Round 8 rotating between the midfield and the forward line Jack Steele averaged 18 disposals and a goal per game with the Giants recording five consecutive victories.
18.
Jack Steele only playing four AFL games from Round 9 to Round 17.
19.
Jack Steele was traded to St Kilda in exchange for the club's future 2017 second round draft pick.
20.
Jack Steele sees an opportunity to play regular senior football at St Kilda and was attracted to us because he sees a club that is building the right way.
21.
Jack Steele made his debut for St Kilda Football Club in Round 1 of the 2017 season against the Melbourne Football Club, and set a new personal best of 23 disposals in a game consisting of eight kicks and 15 handballs, he had 12 contested possessions and took seven marks.
22.
Jack Steele played 11 consecutive AFL games for St Kilda in the first half of the 2017 season, and had more than 17 disposals nine times and laid at least eight tackles in a game eight times during this period.
23.
Jack Steele was omitted for two games due to form, but was recalled in Round 15 and laid 17 tackles to equal the Saints club record for most tackles in a game set by David Armitage.
24.
Jack Steele ultimately played the last nine matches of the season.
25.
Jack Steele successfully completed 158 tackles in 20 games for St Kilda in 2017, the second best season tackle total in club history at the highest average per game at 7.9 per game.
26.
Jack Steele equaled the club record for tackles in a game with 17 against Fremantle in round 15.
27.
At 22 years of age Jack Steele played his 50th AFL game in Round 15 against Melbourne at the MCG, tagging Clayton Oliver.
28.
Jack Steele was ranked sixth in the AFL for tackles in 2018 and played 21 of a possible 22 games for the year, and played 21 of a possible 22 games.
29.
Jack Steele continued his tagging role in 2019, missing only two games due to injury and not playing a game at reserves level for the first time since becoming an AFL-listed player.
30.
In round 16, Jack Steele gathered a game high and club record 18 tackles, while tagging North Melbourne midfield star Ben Cunnington.
31.
Jack Steele again finished third in the Trevor Barker award, making headlines for his tagging.
32.
The 2020 season was a breakout for Jack Steele who transitioned from a tagger to an attacking midfielder and received a wide-range of accolades for a fine season.
33.
Jack Steele finished equal third in the prestigious AFL Brownlow Medal after polling votes in nine games and earning best on ground in the matches against Carlton, Adelaide, Port Adelaide and Gold Coast.
34.
Jack Steele won the 2020 Trevor Barker Award, the St Kilda Best and Fairest award, for the first time in his career.
35.
Jack Steele was selected on the interchange for the 2020 All-Australian side.
36.
Jack Steele finished fifth in the AFL Most Valuable Player Award behind fellow midfielders Lachie Neale, Travis Boak, Christian Petracca and key forward Tom Hawkins.
37.
Jack Steele polled 72 votes to finish fourth in the AFL Coaches Association Player of the Year Award behind Lachie Neale, Christian Petracca and Travis Boak, with Collingwood midfielder Taylor Adams finishing fifth.
38.
Ahead of the 2021 AFL season, Jack Steele was named co-captain of St Kilda alongside incumbent skipper Jarryn Geary.
39.
The honour was all the more significant as Jack Steele had not been part of the leadership group in 2020, although he began to sit in on meetings in the second half of that season.
40.
An introvert, Jack Steele did not initially see himself as an AFL captain.
41.
Jack Steele always showed a lot of faith in me, not just in my leadership but in my ability.
42.
Jack Steele played his 100th AFL match in Round 3 against Essendon and amassed an equal career-high 35 disposals in his milestone game.
43.
Jack Steele averaged a career-best 29 disposals, 14 contested possessions, eight tackles and six clearances for the season and topped the club in all key statistical metrics.
44.
Jack Steele had the highest number of tackles in the year and placed in the league's top-10 for total contested possessions, pressure acts, clearances and disposals.
45.
Jack Steele had less than 25 disposals only four times for the year, while he had 30 disposals or greater in 10 games, including a season-high 37 disposals against Port Adelaide in prolific game in Round 18 where he had eight marks, seven tackles, four clearances and kicked a goal.
46.
Jack Steele collected a whopping 14 tackles twice, against Collingwood in round 16 and Carlton in Round 20, collecting 36 disposals in both games.