Garry Jack reveals the cause of public family feud with Swans star Kieren

UPDATE: SYDNEY Swans skipper Kieren Jack has defended his girlfriend as “not just a model”, breaking his silence on his bitter family feud.

Kieren Jack with girlfriend Charlotte Goodlet. Source: Instagram

SYDNEY Swans skipper Kieren Jack has defended his girlfriend as “not just a model”, breaking his silence on his bitter family feud.

Jack said the airing of his split with parents Donna and rugby league icon Garry this week had been “distressing”.

The Swans captain said his priority was to support his brother Brandon and girlfriend Charlotte Goodlet, who is reportedly at the centre of the feud.

“She hasn’t deserved the treatment that she’s received, but she’s strong,” Jack said.

“She’s an independent woman. She’s not just a model, I can tell you that.

“I love her very much and am very proud of her.”

The family split, more than a year in the making, became public this week after Jack opted to offer tickets to his 200th game in Geelong to Goodlet’s parents instead of his own.

Jack refused to comment on the cause of the rift, saying a ‘he said, she said’ argument was an “immature approach”.

“What I have learnt throughout this is family issues happen,” he said.

“That’s the nature of it, you move on.

“My priority is to support my family with my partner and my little brother, who I love and care for very much.”

Jack said his father had not been banned from attending the game and it was his decision whether he came.

Garry Jack father of Sydney Swans player Kieren Jack arriving at his Cherrybrook home, he says he is heartbroken by the rift with his son. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Garry Jack and his son Kieren back in 2005

Jack has been at odds with their parents for more than a year. But the decision to tell Garry and wife Donna not to attend the milestone match was the final straw, the Balmain Tigers legend told The Daily Telegraph last night.

The devastated father said he and Donna desperately wanted to attend their son’s 200th game on Friday night in Geelong but Kieren had given the tickets to the parents of his girlfriend of three years Charlotte Goodlet.

“We have been trying to fix this and sort it out for more than 12 months,” Garry said.

“We have been aware of the problem but is has fallen on deaf ears. They are your kids and they can do what they want but, as parents, it hurts. It hurts us as a family, it cuts to your heart, it really does.”

Frustrated at being barred from attending Kieren’s 200th game, Donna took to Twitter this week to post; “@kjack_15 so sad. Dad 200 RL you 200 AFL & you done want us there, your parents. No appreciation for all the yrs helping you get there.”

But family friends told The Daily Telegraph the parents had not worked to resolve the situation and had instead given Kieren an ultimatum — Charlotte or them.

“I support Donna 100 per cent and support what she said. We have been trying to fix it and resolve it for a long time,” Garry said.

Asked could the family dispute be mended, he added: “I don’t know. I wish I could say more but I am guarded.”

It is understood that Brandon did not speak to his father for more than a year until Garry turned up unannounced at a Swans reserve game recently. The aggrieved father denied suggestions he had been asked to leave the dressing rooms.

“I hadn’t seen Brandon for 12 months,” Garry said. “No coach or any staff member asked me to leave the dressing room. That didn’t happen, I wasn’t asked to leave. Brandon said we should talk outside so we left the dressing and walked around the corner to talk. It was a private matter.”

Charlotte Goodlet, girlfriend of Sydney Swans player Kieren Jack. Source: Celbiche Swimwear

Kieren’s girlfriend Goodlet’s parents were given the ticket the Jacks expected to receive.

Garry said he told the Swans he and Donna would travel to Geelong to watch Kieren’s milestone match but was told their son did not want his parents there.

“What brought it to a head was that this was Kieren’s 200th game on Friday and we said to the Swans that we would like to go to the game,” Garry said.

“The Swans said they would call us on Monday and I was informed by (welfare boss) Dennis Carroll at the Swans that Kieren had given the tickets to Charlotte’s parents. That’s what brought it to a head.”

Garry then told Swans officials he and Donna would be prepared to pay their own way to Melbourne for the game.

“We were told that we couldn’t sit in the Swans designated area, we were told we would have to sit elsewhere in the ground. It all became too hard,” Garry said.

Friends of the family told the Telegraph that both Kieren and Brandon felt suffocated by their parents and felt constant pressure and that they “weren’t good enough”.

The parents recently delivered a “family” photo album to the Swans and asked officials to give it to the brothers “so they could see what family life they had missed out on over the past couple of years,” a club source said.

Kieren Jack with his family, Dad Garry and Mum Donna and brothers Rhys and Brandon.

In a Tweet to 2GB radio talkback host Ben Fordham in March, Donna slammed Kieren; “@benFordham It would disappoint you to see the lack of compassion (sic) and empathy shown to a family who has loved & supports a young man.”

However, the frustrated parents have received the backing of their other son Rhys.

He tweeted: “I love and support my Mum and Dad to the end of the earth, 2 more genuine people you will not find. for me FAMILY is the number ONE priority.”

A close friend of the family said neither Garry or Donna had tried to repair the damaged relationships with their sons and was angry at the parents for airing the family’s dirty laundry in public.

A friend claims Kieren tried to sort things out with his parents to no avail. Source: INSTAGRAM

A friend of Kieren and Goodlet says the couple have a beautiful relationship. Source: INSTAGRAM

“To say they’ve tried to fix things is a laugh; they gave Kieren an ultimatum to choose his parents or his girlfriend. What an ordinary position to put your son in?” the friend said.

“He’s a 29-year-old who wants to be treated like an adult. Anyone who sees Charlotte and Kieren together knows what a beautiful relationship they have.”

The friend said the manner in which Garry and Donna had handled the situation was “appalling”.

“Garry and Donna need to take a look in the mirror. Kieren and Brandon have tried to resolve it but their parents won’t budge from their behaviour,” the friend said.

“The way they’ve treated Charlotte has angered Kieren because he loves her very much. She’s a class act, hardworking woman and lovely human being.”

Both Ms Goodlet and Kieren declined to make any comments to the Telegraph yesterday.

Originally published as Garry Jack reveals the cause of public family feud with Swans star Kieren