Jack Steele

Jack Steele (born 13 December 1995) is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He previously played for the Greater Western Sydney Giants from 2015 to 2016 and the St Kilda Football Club from 2017 to 2025. Steele is a dual All-Australian and has won two Trevor Barker Awards. He served as St Kilda co-captain in 2021, and as the sole captain from 2022 to 2025.

Early life Steele is from Canberra, Australian Capital Territory (ACT). His father Stewart played Rugby League at club level for the West Wyalong Mallee Men in country New South Wales and several of Jack’s uncles also played Rugby League. Jack’s older sister Sophie represented the ACT in basketball as a junior. Steele's father suggested he play Australian rules football. Steele initially joined the Gungahlin Jets as a junior before switching to the Belconnen Magpies junior system. Steele was a Collingwood supporter as a youth. Steele was a budding sportsman as a junior, playing cricket and soccer, while he also played basketball with future tennis star Nick Kyrgios when he was 12. ) while at the Academy. At the 2014 Under 18 National Championships Steele was phenomenal in his three games for New South Wales/ACT, averaging 13.0 kicks, 7.7 handballs, 5.7 marks, 3.0 tackles, 11.7 contested possessions and 2.0 goals per game 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. His best game for the year would be against his future side St Kilda in Round 15 where he collected 20 touches, 3 marks, 6 tackles and 1 goal.

Steele commenced 2016 in the seniors and had 11 disposals and kicked one goal against Melbourne in Round 1. Steele was omitted for Round 2 but his time in the NEAFL was short-lived, being recalled to the senior side in Round 4. In five AFL games from Round 4 to Round 8 rotating between the midfield and the forward line Steele averaged 18 disposals and a goal per game with the Giants recording five consecutive victories. Steele only playing four AFL games from Round 9 to Round 17. After playing consecutive AFL games in Round 16 and Round 17 Steele missed Rounds 18 and 19 with a hand injury and was unable to regain his place in the Giants AFL team. and nominated as his preferred destination. He was traded to in exchange for the club's future 2017 second round draft pick (used to select Brent Daniels). Of the trade, Saints Chief Operating Officer Ameet Bains stated that "Jack’s a tough, big-bodied midfielder that will complement the mix we’ve got in there already and offer some high quality support to players like Jack Steven and David Armitage...Although Jack was a Giants academy player, we followed him closely in his draft year and have monitored his progress ever since, particularly in the last 12 months when we identified the potential for him to move clubs in search of opportunity." Bains also stipulated that "Jack had a number of options, but he was really keen to come to our club. He 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." and set a new personal best of 23 disposals in a game consisting of eight kicks and 15 handballs, he also had 12 contested possessions and took seven marks. 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. 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. Steele was ranked sixth in the AFL for tackles in 2018, and played 21 of a possible 22 games.

2019

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. In round 16, Steele gathered a game high and club record 18 tackles, while tagging North Melbourne midfield star Ben Cunnington. Steele again finished third in the Trevor Barker award, making headlines for his tagging. Despite the run-with role, he averaged an impressive 21.9 disposals, 8.2 tackles and 4.2 clearances a game.

2020 The 2020 season was a breakout for Steele who transitioned from a tagger to an attacking midfielder and received a wide-range of accolades for a fine season. Steele finished equal third (with Melbourne's Christian Petracca) 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. Steele also won the 2020 Trevor Barker Award, the St Kilda Best and Fairest award, for the first time in his career. Steele was selected on the interchange for the 2020 All-Australian side. Steele lead the Saints’ numbers for disposals (376), clearances (90), tackles (94), inside-50s (54) and ground-ball gets (117), plus in excess of 100 more pressure acts than second-placed Dan Butler. Steele finished fifth in the AFL Most Valuable Player Award behind fellow midfielders Lachie Neale, Travis Boak, Christian Petracca and key forward Tom Hawkins. Steele polled 72 votes to finish fourth in the AFL Coaches Association Player of the Year Award behind Lachie Neale (93), Christian Petracca (78) and Travis Boak (77), with Collingwood midfielder Taylor Adams (60) finishing fifth.

Steele played his 100th AFL match in Round 3 against Essendon and amassed an equal career-high 35 disposals in his milestone game. Steele also had the highest number of tackles in the year (185, just one short of the all-time record) and placed in the league's top-10 for total contested possessions (fourth), pressure acts (fifth), clearances (eighth) and disposals (tenth). All-Australian selection and the AFL Players' Association Most Courageous Player Award.

After the 2025 season, Steele told St Kilda of his desire to step down as captain, "At his recent year-end exit interview Jack Steele advised the club of his desire to step down from the captaincy," a St Kilda club statement read. Despite Steele's preference of remaining at St Kilda for the remainder of his two-year contract, St Kilda officials told him on that they were open to him facilitating a trade to another club.

Melbourne (2026–present)

On trade deadline day, Steele was traded to in exchange for a 2027 third-round draft selection. Melbourne list manager Tim Lamb said Steele was an exciting addition to the club's playing personnel. "We're incredibly excited to welcome a player of Jack's character, calibre and experience to the Dees," Lamb said. Steele debuted from his third club in round 1 of the 2026 AFL season against . Against his former teammates, Steele had 21 disposals and kicked his first goal for the red and blue as they journeyed to become 13 point victors.

Statistics Updated to the end of round 22, 2026.

223 !! 73 !! 48 !! 2264 !! 2896 !! 5160 !! 922 !! 1586 !! 0.3 !! 0.2 !! 10.2 !! 13.0 !! 23.1 !! 4.1 !! 7.1 !! 90