Why Jack Billings is ‘Latte’, Jack Steven is ‘Stuv’ and other nicknames for Jacks at St Kilda

MIDFIELDER Jack ‘Bluey’ Steele, one of six Jacks in the St Kilda side, reveals their unique nicknames to avoid utter confusion on the field and in the changerooms.

Five of the six St Kilda Jacks, from left: Jack Sinclair, Jack Newnes, Jack Billings, Jack Steven and Jack Lonie. The five plus teammate Jack Steele played against Richmond. Picture: George Salpigtidis

THEY jokingly refer to themselves as the Union of Jacks, a St Kilda sextet of Jacks who tonight will play together for the second time in an AFL match.

And in doing so they will surely create an unofficial record in world sport, unless you can think of a team with seven players that go by the same first name.

PUP, SMOOCH AND CORGI: THE CLASSIC AFL NICKNAMES YOU DON’T KNOW

“We are a team of J names: Josh Battle, Josh Bruce, Jake Carlisle, Jarryn Geary, Jade Gresham, Jason Holmes and Jimmy Webster. Maybe it will help Josh ‘Chooka’ Kelly come here next year,” laughed Jack Steele, 21.

“We use nicknames on the ground and off it. Sometimes you will get someone come in and say ‘Jack, put a bib on’ and you see all these heads turn around.

“So none of us actually call each other Jack. Jack Billings is ‘Latte’ or ‘JB’, Jack Lonie is called ‘John’ because in the old days Jack was normally a nickname for someone christened John.

“When Jack Newnes came to the club, Jack Steven was already here so he became ‘Jill’, as in Jack and Jill. Jack Sinclair has the well-defined legs, hence ‘Pins’, while Jack Steven gets ‘Stuv’ from his surname and I’m ‘Steeley’ or ‘Bluey’, as in blue steel.”

Five of St Kilda’s Jacks: Jack “Latte” Billings, Jack “John” Lonie, Jack “Jill” Newnes, Jack “Pins” Sinclair, Jack “Bluey” Steele and Jack “Stuv” Steven. Picture: George Salpigtidis

KB’S BRISBANE BLOOPER

KEVIN Bartlett remains a passionate Tiger fan, revelling in the current season, but he does have a soft spot for a young Brisbane player named Nick Robertson.

It dates back to April 12, 2014, when the Lions travelled to Adelaide Oval to take on Port Adelaide, with “KB” there to call the game for SEN.

“I was in cafe just near the ground when this young blond-headed kid came up and asked me how I was going,” Bartlett recalled on Friday.

“I asked him if he enjoyed the footy and on noticing a Brisbane emblem somewhere on him, asked had he come to the match to support the Lions.

“He said, ‘I’m actually playing today in my first game’. Then he asked would I come out and meet his parents and girlfriend. Three hours later I was calling Nick in his debut.

“So naturally I follow him and have enjoyed his recent form.”

PUNTER SWEATING ON SWANS

IT’S 10 weeks ago and you decide to try to turn a miserly $5 into something with the TAB, figuring the $101 about the Swans for the flag is way over the odds.

So you back Sydney for the flag, Cronulla ($9) for the NRL title, Sydney to win the A-League (tick) and Chelsea the EPL (tick). And you now stand to win $7249.25.

Then there’s the $25 punter who on January 23 took the following multi: Sydney to win the AFL premiership ($7.50), Melbourne Storm NRL flag ($8), Golden State NBA ($1.70), Chelsea EPL ($1.40), Sydney A League ($3.25), Roger Federer ($3.50) and Serena Williams ($2.50) to both win the Australian Open. The collect: A lazy $101,521.75.

Essendon firebrand Phil Carman, left, eyeballs boundary umpire Graham Carberry and was later suspended for headbutting the umpire on April 19, 1990.

FAMOUS UMP’S FINAL CALL

A PART of football history died during the week with the passing of Graham Carberry after a long illness.

Carberry, 70, was the boundary umpire at Moorabbin on April 19, 1980, who was headbutted by Phil Carman.

Carman, who was suspended for 16 weeks for the incident, said yesterday he was sorry to hear the news.

“Graham was kind enough to be interviewed for my recently released book,” said Carman, 66.

“That incident followed us both around a lot and I know Graham was never keen to talk about it publicly.”

The old scoreboard at Junction Oval has been heritage listed and has survived recent renovations at the ground, which is being upgraded to better accommodate Victorian cricket.

SCOREBOARD PRESSURE

IT’S funny the things that survive when the construction boys move in to give new life to an old venue, such as the Junction Oval.

While the Kevin Murray and Blackie-Ironmonger stands have been heritage listed, so too has the old scoreboard, which was constructed in 1956.

At the moment there are two names on the scoreboard, Prior and Causevski, but rather than belong to cricketers they are actually part of the construction firm redeveloping the ground.