Kieren Jack retires

[dimelb]

I wonder how much of Kieren's fitness problems were down to being cleaned up by Easton Wood right at the beginning in 2016, before the sod went on to do the same job on Dan Hannebery, with no response from the umpires in either case. I still think Easton Wood sounds like a stop on the London Underground.

But that's history now, and while I'm sorry to see the end arrive for Kieren I'll long remember his contribution to the club, his hardness at the ball, his courage in taking on people well over his size, his modesty at his achievements, his fine example of how to play the game. Go well, Kieren, and it would be nice to see offspring to carry the name forward.

[mcs]

The end has come for a mighty fine career - well done Kizza on showing 'you could' when plenty of people said you couldn't.

One of my favourite players at his best - and pivotal to our 2012 success too!

A real changing of the guard now at the club - time for our young cygnets to step up and take the torch and forge their own path forward. But as fans, we should never forget to turn around more than occasionally and remember those that helped create the path behind us. K Jack will go down as a very important player in the history of our wonderful footy club.

Kieran, cheers to you on a superb career - bravo!

[Go Swannies]

Considering the retirement list I was surprised to go to the Swans website to find out the date of the Club Champion dinner and saw that there are apparently still tickets left. I haven't been for a few years but need to say goodbye to a bunch of legends - and meet a new bunch.

[Blood Fever]

I think it's a shame that his last few. injury-curtailed, seasons have taken away somewhat from just how good he was in his prime. He added that zip and bite around the packs that our otherwise plodding midfield couldn't. His side-step was something to behold, as was his ability to duck under tackles, not to win a free kick for high contact, but as a genuine (and successful) evasive tactic.

He transformed himself from an undersized back pocket who couldn't kick, through a tagging role whereby he shut down some of the best midfielders in the game, to one of the hardest running two-way midfielders in the competition. In the early years of this decade, he was the midfielder opposition clubs usually tried to shut down.

Truly a career to be proud of for a man told by junior coaches he was too small, too unskilled, to make it at the top level.

Great summary of his career. His speed was a great complement to our hard nosed midfield.

[Nico]

With our poor centre clearance work over many years, KJ was one of the few who could create a clean clearance by foot. Most times he had time to get away a decent kick.

[dejavoodoo44]

The end has come for a mighty fine career - well done Kizza on showing 'you could' when plenty of people said you couldn't.

One of my favourite players at his best - and pivotal to our 2012 success too!

A real changing of the guard now at the club - time for our young cygnets to step up and take the torch and forge their own path forward. But as fans, we should never forget to turn around more than occasionally and remember those that helped create the path behind us. K Jack will go down as a very important player in the history of our wonderful footy club.

Kieran, cheers to you on a superb career - bravo!

Actually, mcs, you might remember something that I was trying to look up, since I think it was at Manuka? Kizza's first game: was he given the role of tagging Akermanis. If it wasn't his first, it's certainly my earliest memory of seeing him play. He did a good enough job, for me to think that he was very promising.

[BRISWAN]

Well done CHAMP
Thanks for all you gave us K.J.

[Faunac8]

Certainly achieved plenty more than many anticipated . Over 250 games and in his most productive years was one of the best players in the competition for inside 50’s and could always be relied on to produce some great league style tackles. Great career for someone who was drafted in the rookie draft at #57

[mcs]

Actually, mcs, you might remember something that I was trying to look up, since I think it was at Manuka? Kizza's first game: was he given the role of tagging Akermanis. If it wasn't his first, it's certainly my earliest memory of seeing him play. He did a good enough job, for me to think that he was very promising.

Rd 18, 2008 at Manuka Oval against the Fairypuppies - during his breakthrough 2008 season (https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/...stics?mid=3493).

I remember the game pretty well. We started like a house on fire, because I was late getting there, so only arrived mid way through the first. Then they kicked 8 goals to 1 in the second term and we never quite got back on level terms throughout the rest of the game. My memories beyond that were of a very good performance from Ryan O'Keefe and McVeigh in particular - and that it was pretty chilly as it always is this time of year (looked it up - 12 degrees). Can't say I remember the tagging efforts of Jack, but Aker only kicked 1.1 and had 11 possessions, while Kizza kicked a goal and had 14 - so your memory is spot on.

[dejavoodoo44]

Rd 18, 2008 at Manuka Oval against the Fairypuppies - during his breakthrough 2008 season (https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/...stics?mid=3493).

I remember the game pretty well. We started like a house on fire, because I was late getting there, so only arrived mid way through the first. Then they kicked 8 goals to 1 in the second term and we never quite got back on level terms throughout the rest of the game. My memories beyond that were of a very good performance from Ryan O'Keefe and McVeigh in particular - and that it was pretty chilly as it always is this time of year (looked it up - 12 degrees). Can't say I remember the tagging efforts of Jack, but Aker only kicked 1.1 and had 11 possessions, while Kizza kicked a goal and had 14 - so your memory is spot on.

Not entirely spot on. The reason why I was trying to look it up, was that although I originally thought that he was tagging Akermanis, my mental picture was of Kieran taking on somebody in a Bulldogs uniform, so I then reasoned that since Akermanis played for the Lions, it couldn't have been him. After blundering around for a while online, it eventually occurred to me that Akermanis played out his career at the Bulldogs.

[liz]

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/oh-brother-kick-back-now-knowing-you-changed-the-footy-landscape-20190819-p52ilh.html

This is quite a lovely piece penned by Brandon on his brother's retirement. He's turning into a pretty good writer, is Brandon.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

One of my all time favorite Swans and Swan captains.
I especially loved his dancing feet, the way he'd get the ball and could then accelerate of radically change direction - I guess it might have been another leftover from league. It made him unique.

[Ralph Dawg]

So many favourite moments but still love the away game v GWS last year. My son and I had flown down to Sydney for a boys weekend to celebrate his 8th birthday. Kieran had had a pretty ordinary season to date - I think most of us here were calling for him to be dropped. But he turned on a vintage display, culminating with a cracking goal from a tight angle. My son even asked me who he was as he had never noticed him before!

[dimelb]

One of my all time favorite Swans and Swan captains.
I especially loved his dancing feet, the way he'd get the ball and could then accelerate of radically change direction - I guess it might have been another leftover from league. It made him unique.

Like this - especially the dancing feet, so true!

[Blood Fever]

Like this - especially the dancing feet, so true!

Of all the retirees, I thought he was the most articulate at the press conference. Very passionate and impressive person, with great leadership qualities.