With the Sydney Swans facing a challenge from West Coast midway through the third term, Swans midfielder Kieren Jack found himself chasing a loose ball in his attacking 50 with Eagle Matthew Spangher bearing down on him.
He knew what had to be done.
Jack laid a bone-shattering bump on the Eagles defender, won the footy and Jesse White slotted the goal that ultimately halted West Coast’s charge.
After the game, the young Swan was still beaming at the memory of his team-lifting act.
“I just put my head down and just really went after the footy. I’m not sure who it was but he stayed down for a little bit after so we’ll take that,” he said.
“All the boys got around me and that’s what we’re looking for in the seniors - blokes just putting their head over it and doing their bit each week.
“When you get the captain of the club [Brett Kirk] coming up to you and giving you a real rap, it pumps you up as a young fella coming through.”
Swans coach Paul Roos was effusive in his praise of both Jack’s overall game and that individual effort.
“Sometimes you can pull up or stop or wait for the other guy to tackle but he really put his head over the ball and won a really tough ball, got it out and we ended up kicking the goal,” he said.
“His ability to tag is really important; as a two-way midfielder he plays really well and also as a bit of a half-forward coming up the ground … he’s certainly developing as a player really nicely.”
The bump capped a big day for Jack, who earlier provided the goal of the game with a 50m bomb preceded by a three-bounce run from half-back.
He admitted the flamboyant running major wasn’t his usual style but he was delighted with the outcome.
“I couldn’t believe it. I got the ball from Jarrad McVeigh and normally I’d be looking to hit a lead-up option or a forward coming at me but I just found myself in a heap of space so I decided to run,” Jack said.
“Rhyce Shaw was in my ear telling me to keep running… so I got to 50 and had a shot and it went through - happy days.”
The Swans face a testing month ahead that starts with the Brisbane Lions at the SCG and continues with Geelong, the Western Bulldogs, Fremantle and Hawthorn but Jack said they were well placed.
“We’re 4-1 and we’ve played some good footy [but] we’ve played it in patches as well,” he said.
“We’ve got a tough draw coming up so we’ll take it as it comes. We’re not going to change anything; we’ve got a style of play that’s working for us so the boys have got confidence in that.”
