Kieren Jack is back in form but his future at Sydney is still up in the air
KIEREN Jack has one more year left on his contract but admits he is uncertain of his AFL future beyond next season despite finding form in the past two months.
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KIEREN Jack admits he is uncertain of his AFL future beyond next season.
The Sydney face of the Swans for so many years, Jack has one more year left on his contract in red and white before his career reaches a crossroads.
At 31, it seems a little soon for retirement, but Jack’s small frame has copped its fair share of punishment during his 12 years playing in the midfield.
Jack struggled for form early this year but has hit his straps in the past two months heading into Saturday’s sudden-death blockbuster against GWS at the SCG.
Veteran Jarrad McVeigh has wound back the clock this year to earn a contract extension, and it’s likely Jack might need a similar herculean performance in 2019 if he’s to win another deal.
Sydney’s decision to take the captaincy off McVeigh and Jack last season was a clear pointer that the club would be making no guarantees for their stalwarts.
Brisbane great Jonathan Brown has predicted Jack’s time is coming to an end and believes if the son of rugby league royalty is to play on it might have to be with a different club.
The re-signing of McVeigh and Heath Grundy is testament to the Swans’ loyalty, but it’s faith that needs to be earned.
Jack is happy to concede he doesn’t know what the future holds, but declared he wouldn’t be motivated by the knockers.
“I don’t know. It’s something now that I’m not really concerned about,” Jack said.
“What I am concerned about is the short-term and week-to-week. I’m contracted for next year and that’ll play out when it plays out. I just need to make sure right now that I’m living in this moment and worried about the Giants.
“A lot can happen in the space of a week, let alone a year and a half. The thing with footy is, and once you’ve been in it for a long time, you realise that you don’t take anything for granted and you take it week by week.”
Jack said a knee injury earlier in the year was hampering his performances, but was pleased with the way he had fired leading into the business end.
Criticism that Jack had slowed down has been shrugged off by the man himself.
“There’s not much point worrying about it because it just wears you down,” Jack said.