the skipper extends for 5 years (apologies for All caps)

[bullmarket]

JAY CLARK
• NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA SPORTS NEWSROOM
• 12 MINUTES AGO DECEMBER 17, 2021
•
•
ST KILDA CO-CAPTAIN JACK STEELE HAS SIGNED A FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT EXTENSION, SAYING HE HAS COMPLETE FAITH IN THE CLUB’S DIRECTION DESPITE ITS COMPLACENT START TO LAST SEASON.
STEELE, 26, QUALIFIED FOR FREE AGENCY NEXT YEAR, BUT MOVED QUICKLY TO SIGN AN EARLY AGREEMENT WHICH WILL KEEP HIM AT THE CLUB UNTIL THE END OF 2027.
THE CANBERRA PRODUCT, WHO HAS BECOMEONE OF THE GAME’S BEST MIDFIELDERS AND CLEARANCE-WINNERS OVER THE PAST TWO SEASONS, SAID HE WANTED TO DELIVER THE SAINTS’ FAITHFUL A DROUGHT-BREAKING FLAG.
“IT’S A MASSIVE PRIVILEGE TO SIGN A FIVE-YEAR DEAL WITH THIS CLUB BECAUSE I SEE THE TEAM GOING IN A GREAT DIRECTION,” STEELE SAID.
JACK STEELE SAYS HE DIDN’T WANT CONTRACT MUMBLINGS GOING ON IN THE BACKGROUND.
“THE CONTRACT WAS SOMETHING I DIDN’T REALLY WANT TO WORRY ABOUT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. I JUST DIDN’T WANT THAT SPECULATION.
“SO, WHEN I WAS IN NEGOTIATIONS I KNEW EXACTLY THAT THIS WAS THE PLACE I WANTED TO BE FOR THE REST OF MY CAREER.
“I WANT TO BE PART OF THE NEXT PREMIERSHIP FOR THIS CLUB AND I’M GOING TO DO EVERYTHING I CAN AND I KNOW MY TEAMMATES ARE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN.”
BRETT RATTEN’S MEN MADE AN UNIMPRESSIVE START TO LAST SEASON WHEN THE SAINTS LOST FOUR OF THEIR FIRST NINE GAMES BY MORE THAN 50 POINTS.
IT CRUELLED THEIR FINALS HOPES BY MIDWAY THROUGH THE SEASON, AND PROMPTED A FIERCE PUBLIC SPRAY FROM PRESIDENT ANDREW BASSAT.
STEELE, A DUAL BEST AND FAIREST AND TWO-TIME ALL-AUSTRALIAN, SAID THE SAINTS LOST FOCUS IN THE EARLY PART OF LAST YEAR, BUT WAS ADAMANT THE CLUB HAD LEARNED FROM ITS MISTAKES.
THE FORMER GWS GIANT SAID AS CO-CAPTAIN, HE HAD ALSO GROWN FROM THE EXPERIENCE.
“I DEFINITELY FEEL LIKE THERE WAS AN ELEMENT OF COMPLACENCY WITH OUR START TO LAST YEAR OFF THE BACK OF A POSITIVE 2020,” HE SAID.
“WE THOUGHT IT WAS JUST GOING TO HAPPEN FOR US, AND THINGS WERE JUST GOING TO WORK OUT FOR US, AND THINGS WERE GOING TO BE GIVEN TO US.
STEELE SAYS LAST SEASON’S DISAPPOINTMENT WAS A REALITY CHECK AS THE CLUB AIMS TO GET BACK ON TRACK IN 2022.
“I FEEL LIKE IT HAS BEEN A GREAT REALITY CHECK FOR US AND HAS REALLY HELPED US DRIVE STANDARDS AND GET THINGS ON TRACK.”
THE FEARLESS SKIPPER HAS MADE A STRONG START TO PRE-SEASON, RETURNING EARLY TO TRAINING WITH THE FIRST TO FOURTH YEAR PLAYERS.
IN BASSAT’S CRITICISM THIS YEAR, HE SAID THE SAINTS WERE EMBARRASSING AND HAD PERFORMED WELL BELOW EVEN THEIR MOST PESSIMISTIC EXPECTATIONS.
THE PRESIDENT EVEN SAID THE WINDOW WOULDN’T OPEN FOR ANOTHER SEASON UNTIL 2022.
STEELE WELCOMED THE DRESSING DOWN, SAYING IT FUELLED HIM AND HELPED THE GROUP CONFRONT SOME ISSUES AT THE BYE.
STEELE AFTER SIGNING ON FOR ANOTHER FIVE YEARS AT ST KILDA. PICTURE: MARK STEWART
“WE ARE IN A REALLY GOOD POSITION. IT IS GREAT THAT OUR PRESIDENT HAS THOSE HIGH EXPECTATIONS OF US AND IT IS GREAT A LEADER OF OUR CLUB IS COMING OUT AND SAYING THAT,” HE SAID.
“WE HAVE, IN TERMS OF OUR PLAYING LIST, A LOT OF POTENTIAL, A LOT OF GROWTH.
“WE HAVEN’T REALLY TAPPED INTO WHAT IS POSSIBLE WITH SOME KEY INDIVIDUALS SO I AM HOPING THIS PRE-SEASON CHANGES EVERYTHING FOR US.
“THE WAY I SEE IT, NO ONE REALLY PREDICTED MELBOURNE TO WIN THE PREMIERSHIP LAST YEAR, AND THEY’VE SHOWN ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE WHEN YOU GET TOGETHER AND YOU SEE GROWTH FROM KEY PLAYERS, YOUNGER PLAYERS. IT IS POSSIBLE FOR IT ALL TO CLICK.
“A HEALTHY LIST, A GREAT RUN IN TERMS OF THE SCHEDULE, AND TIMING. LOOK AT THE BULLDOGS IN 2016, THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN THE BEST TEAM THAT YEAR BUT TIMED THEIR RUN PERFECTLY.
“IT IS ELEMENTS OF EVERYTHING. THOSE COMMENTS INTERNALLY REALLY DO DRIVE ME AND A LOT OF OTHER PLAYERS AS WELL.”

[Banger9798]

Great news, he is a terrific young man

[saint6709]

Time to drop the 'Co' from his title

[Ghost Like]

News like that deserves all CAPS. No apology required.

Great news! Now for RoMa to lock himself in.

[st.byron]

Awesome news.
"SO, WHEN I WAS IN NEGOTIATIONS I KNEW EXACTLY THAT THIS WAS THE PLACE I WANTED TO BE FOR THE REST OF MY CAREER." Love the commitment and faith. Go Sainters.

[CarlD]

Excellent! Not generally a fan of 5 year deals but for Jack I'll make an exception.

[The Fireman]

Great news

[saynta]

Love it.

[magnifisaint]

Geary should step aside. None of this co captain's bulls***. Leave that to Shytney

[bangaulegend]

Onya Jack great job mate

[Otiman]

St kilda co-captain jack steele has signed a five-year contract extension, saying he has complete faith in the club’s direction despite its complacent start to last season.
Steele, 26, qualified for free agency next year, but moved quickly to sign an early agreement which will keep him at the club until the end of 2027.
The canberra product, who has becomeone of the game’s best midfielders and clearance-winners over the past two seasons, said he wanted to deliver the saints’ faithful a drought-breaking flag.
“it’s a massive privilege to sign a five-year deal with this club because i see the team going in a great direction,” steele said.
Jack steele says he didn’t want contract mumblings going on in the background.
“the contract was something i didn’t really want to worry about throughout the year. I just didn’t want that speculation.
“so, when i was in negotiations i knew exactly that this was the place i wanted to be for the rest of my career.
“i want to be part of the next premiership for this club and i’m going to do everything i can and i know my teammates are going to do everything they can.”
Brett ratten’s men made an unimpressive start to last season when the saints lost four of their first nine games by more than 50 points.
It cruelled their finals hopes by midway through the season, and prompted a fierce public spray from president andrew bassat.
Steele, a dual best and fairest and two-time all-australian, said the saints lost focus in the early part of last year, but was adamant the club had learned from its mistakes.
The former gws giant said as co-captain, he had also grown from the experience.
“i definitely feel like there was an element of complacency with our start to last year off the back of a positive 2020,” he said.
“we thought it was just going to happen for us, and things were just going to work out for us, and things were going to be given to us.
Steele says last season’s disappointment was a reality check as the club aims to get back on track in 2022.
“i feel like it has been a great reality check for us and has really helped us drive standards and get things on track.”
The fearless skipper has made a strong start to pre-season, returning early to training with the first to fourth year players.
In bassat’s criticism this year, he said the saints were embarrassing and had performed well below even their most pessimistic expectations.
The president even said the window wouldn’t open for another season until 2022.
Steele welcomed the dressing down, saying it fuelled him and helped the group confront some issues at the bye.
Steele after signing on for another five years at st kilda. Picture: mark stewart
“we are in a really good position. It is great that our president has those high expectations of us and it is great a leader of our club is coming out and saying that,” he said.
“we have, in terms of our playing list, a lot of potential, a lot of growth.
“we haven’t really tapped into what is possible with some key individuals so i am hoping this pre-season changes everything for us.
“the way i see it, no one really predicted melbourne to win the premiership last year, and they’ve shown anything is possible when you get together and you see growth from key players, younger players. It is possible for it all to click.
“a healthy list, a great run in terms of the schedule, and timing. Look at the bulldogs in 2016, they might not have been the best team that year but timed their run perfectly.
“it is elements of everything. Those comments internally really do drive me and a lot of other players as well.”

[st sandy]

“so, when i was in negotiations i knew exactly that this was the place i wanted to be for the rest of my career.

As a late 50"s year old emotional Saints tragic, the above comments brings tears to my eyes
He is one of us
Thanks Jack

[Vortex]

Time for Jack to be outright captain.

[SaintPav]

JAY CLARK
• NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA SPORTS NEWSROOM
• 12 MINUTES AGO DECEMBER 17, 2021
•
•
ST KILDA CO-CAPTAIN JACK STEELE HAS SIGNED A FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT EXTENSION, SAYING HE HAS COMPLETE FAITH IN THE CLUB’S DIRECTION DESPITE ITS COMPLACENT START TO LAST SEASON.
STEELE, 26, QUALIFIED FOR FREE AGENCY NEXT YEAR, BUT MOVED QUICKLY TO SIGN AN EARLY AGREEMENT WHICH WILL KEEP HIM AT THE CLUB UNTIL THE END OF 2027.
THE CANBERRA PRODUCT, WHO HAS BECOMEONE OF THE GAME’S BEST MIDFIELDERS AND CLEARANCE-WINNERS OVER THE PAST TWO SEASONS, SAID HE WANTED TO DELIVER THE SAINTS’ FAITHFUL A DROUGHT-BREAKING FLAG.
“IT’S A MASSIVE PRIVILEGE TO SIGN A FIVE-YEAR DEAL WITH THIS CLUB BECAUSE I SEE THE TEAM GOING IN A GREAT DIRECTION,” STEELE SAID.
JACK STEELE SAYS HE DIDN’T WANT CONTRACT MUMBLINGS GOING ON IN THE BACKGROUND.
“THE CONTRACT WAS SOMETHING I DIDN’T REALLY WANT TO WORRY ABOUT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. I JUST DIDN’T WANT THAT SPECULATION.
“SO, WHEN I WAS IN NEGOTIATIONS I KNEW EXACTLY THAT THIS WAS THE PLACE I WANTED TO BE FOR THE REST OF MY CAREER.
“I WANT TO BE PART OF THE NEXT PREMIERSHIP FOR THIS CLUB AND I’M GOING TO DO EVERYTHING I CAN AND I KNOW MY TEAMMATES ARE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN.”
BRETT RATTEN’S MEN MADE AN UNIMPRESSIVE START TO LAST SEASON WHEN THE SAINTS LOST FOUR OF THEIR FIRST NINE GAMES BY MORE THAN 50 POINTS.
IT CRUELLED THEIR FINALS HOPES BY MIDWAY THROUGH THE SEASON, AND PROMPTED A FIERCE PUBLIC SPRAY FROM PRESIDENT ANDREW BASSAT.
STEELE, A DUAL BEST AND FAIREST AND TWO-TIME ALL-AUSTRALIAN, SAID THE SAINTS LOST FOCUS IN THE EARLY PART OF LAST YEAR, BUT WAS ADAMANT THE CLUB HAD LEARNED FROM ITS MISTAKES.
THE FORMER GWS GIANT SAID AS CO-CAPTAIN, HE HAD ALSO GROWN FROM THE EXPERIENCE.
“I DEFINITELY FEEL LIKE THERE WAS AN ELEMENT OF COMPLACENCY WITH OUR START TO LAST YEAR OFF THE BACK OF A POSITIVE 2020,” HE SAID.
“WE THOUGHT IT WAS JUST GOING TO HAPPEN FOR US, AND THINGS WERE JUST GOING TO WORK OUT FOR US, AND THINGS WERE GOING TO BE GIVEN TO US.
STEELE SAYS LAST SEASON’S DISAPPOINTMENT WAS A REALITY CHECK AS THE CLUB AIMS TO GET BACK ON TRACK IN 2022.
“I FEEL LIKE IT HAS BEEN A GREAT REALITY CHECK FOR US AND HAS REALLY HELPED US DRIVE STANDARDS AND GET THINGS ON TRACK.”
THE FEARLESS SKIPPER HAS MADE A STRONG START TO PRE-SEASON, RETURNING EARLY TO TRAINING WITH THE FIRST TO FOURTH YEAR PLAYERS.
IN BASSAT’S CRITICISM THIS YEAR, HE SAID THE SAINTS WERE EMBARRASSING AND HAD PERFORMED WELL BELOW EVEN THEIR MOST PESSIMISTIC EXPECTATIONS.
THE PRESIDENT EVEN SAID THE WINDOW WOULDN’T OPEN FOR ANOTHER SEASON UNTIL 2022.
STEELE WELCOMED THE DRESSING DOWN, SAYING IT FUELLED HIM AND HELPED THE GROUP CONFRONT SOME ISSUES AT THE BYE.
STEELE AFTER SIGNING ON FOR ANOTHER FIVE YEARS AT ST KILDA. PICTURE: MARK STEWART
“WE ARE IN A REALLY GOOD POSITION. IT IS GREAT THAT OUR PRESIDENT HAS THOSE HIGH EXPECTATIONS OF US AND IT IS GREAT A LEADER OF OUR CLUB IS COMING OUT AND SAYING THAT,” HE SAID.
“WE HAVE, IN TERMS OF OUR PLAYING LIST, A LOT OF POTENTIAL, A LOT OF GROWTH.
“WE HAVEN’T REALLY TAPPED INTO WHAT IS POSSIBLE WITH SOME KEY INDIVIDUALS SO I AM HOPING THIS PRE-SEASON CHANGES EVERYTHING FOR US.
“THE WAY I SEE IT, NO ONE REALLY PREDICTED MELBOURNE TO WIN THE PREMIERSHIP LAST YEAR, AND THEY’VE SHOWN ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE WHEN YOU GET TOGETHER AND YOU SEE GROWTH FROM KEY PLAYERS, YOUNGER PLAYERS. IT IS POSSIBLE FOR IT ALL TO CLICK.
“A HEALTHY LIST, A GREAT RUN IN TERMS OF THE SCHEDULE, AND TIMING. LOOK AT THE BULLDOGS IN 2016, THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN THE BEST TEAM THAT YEAR BUT TIMED THEIR RUN PERFECTLY.
“IT IS ELEMENTS OF EVERYTHING. THOSE COMMENTS INTERNALLY REALLY DO DRIVE ME AND A LOT OF OTHER PLAYERS AS WELL.”

I like the all caps.

Just like an old AAP News Wire.

Old school

[kosifantutti]

Here’s some photos of Jack.



Sorry they’re all caps.

[Stian]

Grooaaan - Oh Kosi, that is such a dad joke !

[minneapolis]

Grooaaan - Oh Kosi, that is such a dad joke !

Nothing better than a good Dad joke!

[Yorkeys]

The only area of the Club that now needs professional improvement is in T-shirt design. Of all the possibilities it went with a sponge bob like character.

Will however wear one for a bet if we make top 4. But only in Point Cook SC where no one knows what AFL is.

[Trev from the Bush]

Just read the headline.

Absolutely rapt that Gears has extended for another 5!

[CQ SAINT]

Just read the headline.

Absolutely rapt that Gears has extended for another 5!

Sandringham are delighted too.