Senior Jack Sinclair

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Much like his team, St Kilda wingman Jack Sinclair is determined to improve his consistency and his ability to defend this pre-season.

Sinclair, 22, was one of the most improved players at Linen House Centre in 2017, cementing a spot in Alan Richardson’s team in the final three-quarters of the year, where he averaged career-high numbers across the board.

Nearly halfway through his fourth summer in Seaford, Sinclair believes the Saints can become a better team in 2018 if they can narrow the gap between their best and worst.


“I think for us, our biggest area for growth is our consistency,” Sinclair told Melbourne radio station RSN 927 on Wednesday morning.

“I think we’ve shown how good our best footy is against Richmond (Round 16), but then the next week against Essendon (Round 17) we were on the other end of it.

“There are certainly areas in our game that we need improve like our defence; we’re getting too many goals kicked against us.”

After adding 17 games to the 27 he played across his first two years, Sinclair has his eyes set on improving his own consistency, as well as the defensive side of his game.

“A bit like the team, consistency is a goal of mine,” Sinclair said.

“I had a few weeks in a row last season where I had some down games, so I think if my performances are more consistent then the team will be more consistent too. So that’s one of my biggest focuses.

“I’d like to improve the defensive side of my game. I’m pretty comfortable when I’ve got the ball in my hands and on offence, so I’d like to improve my defence."

While some things don’t change about pre-season, some things are different this time around.

St Kilda champions Nick Riewoldt and Leigh Montagna are no longer around to drive the group or set the tone. Although, Sinclair thinks it has provided others with a chance to take ownership of the group.

“It is quite different not having Nick and Joey around; it’s very different to what I’ve known in my three years at the club,” he said.

“At the same time, it’s pretty exciting and it means younger guys can step up."

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Can’t wait for 2018 season.
 
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St Kilda young gun Jack Sinclair was one of the biggest surprise packets of 2017.

After being stuck at Sandringham for the first five weeks of last season, the 22-year-old returned to the senior side in Round 6, quickly entrenched himself on a wing in Alan Richardson’s best team and never left.

In the final 17 games of 2017, Sinclair averaged 20.8 disposals (8.4 contested), 6.0 score involvements, 3.3 tackles and 2.6 inside 50s per game – numbers that have forced Champion Data to classify him as the only Saint that is elite for his position this year.


St Kilda Senior Assistant Coach Simon McPhee is confident Sinclair can back up his breakout season and says the athletic midfielder has become a crucial component of the Saints’ ball movement.

“It’s great that he had that breakout year, but now it’s just part of what he does,” McPhee told saints.com.au on Thursday.

“So there is now a different level of expectation around his professionalism and his performance.

“He makes a real difference for us. When he gets the ball, he uses his legs and brings us inside. We’re a better team when he brings the ball into the corridor or into our forward 50.”

McPhee said there is no magic formula behind Sinclair’s rise across the last 12 months, with the Victorian being rewarded for his dedication and desire to get the most out of himself.

“He’s had a really good pre-season to date. He has been really consistent with his running and his work rate,” McPhee said.

“There are no accidents; the blokes that continually work hard and put their best foot forward on the training track, end up getting the results. And that’s what ‘Sincs’ does.”

Sinclair has played 44 games since being selected with the first pick in the 2014 NAB AFL Rookie Draft.


Can’t wait for 2018 season.
 
St Kilda wingman Jack Sinclair hasn’t missed a beat this summer as he looks to follow up his breakout 2017 with an even better showing in 2018.

After spending the bulk of 2016 biding his time at Sandringham, Sinclair forced his way into Alan Richardson’s side in Round 6 last year and never looked back, averaging 20.8 disposals, 12.6 uncontested possessions and 2.7 inside 50s from the final 17 games.

On the back of his sparkling form last year, Champion Data has ranked Sinclair amongst the top five wingmen in the competition this season, alongside Lachie Whitfield, Dan Hannebery, Aaron Hall and Justin Westhoff.


Sinclair, who inherited Robert Harvey's iconic No. 35 at the start of last season, hasn’t missed a session this pre-season and has focused on improving the defensive side of this game to help end St Kilda’s six-year finals hiatus in 2018.

“It’s just been another building block on recent years,” Sinclair told saints.com.au after Wednesday’s match simulation session at Trevor Barker Oval.

“I haven’t missed a session this summer, so it’s really good to get that continuity with my training and gettreally real fit by being out there.

“I’ve focused a lot on the defensive side of my game. We want to get better defensively as a team, so unless players like myself improve in that area, we’re not going to get there.

“So that’s been one of my main focuses over the summer, just like the team.

“It’s about focusing on it, getting out and doing the work at training in specific drills through tackling and turning my head to defend.”

While top-10 draft picks, Hunter Clark and Nick Coffield, are the names on the top of many people’s tongues when discussing early season debuts, Sinclair has also been impressed by former Murray Bushrangers midfielder Ben Paton.

“I think Hunter and Nick will both push for an early debut, and maybe even Ben Paton,” he said.

“He was great in the match sim, can play anywhere – wing, half-forward, inside and even half-back. Those three guys are really versatile which I think will help push their case.”


Can’t wait for 2018 season.
 

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The next week against Hawthorn Jack had a poorer game: 12 disposals 6CP 1 mark 2 tackles and 1 goal
The response was to drop him to the twos. :rolleyes:

Sinclair is a natural outside mid. Last year he was rated as being our only elite player by Champion Date (IIRC) playing on a wing.
This year he gets taken from the position he is elite at, and thrust forward where he so closely marked that he barely gets a kick away. His strength is his beautiful delivery. If he is put into a position where he cant use his main weapon, he is not being used to benefit the team the most that he can. I am disappointed that he is moved out of position, where he performs at a lower standard, then he is punished for not performing to his former standard by being sent back to the twos.
I personally think it illogical to play him as a forward, but if that is where the selectors think he should be, then surely they must play him as a forward in the twos, despite the benefit that a run in the midfield would give him. Give him a role in the forward line and make him play it as if he were in the Seniors.
If they play him in the midfield in the twos and he does enough to be recalled, then play him in the midfield. Don't recall him and play him out of position again. It makes no sense.
 
Kildonan said:
The next week against Hawthorn Jack had a poorer game: 12 disposals 6CP 1 mark 2 tackles and 1 goal
The response was to drop him to the twos. :rolleyes:

Sinclair is a natural outside mid. Last year he was rated as being our only elite player by Champion Date (IIRC) playing on a wing.
This year he gets taken from the position he is elite at, and thrust forward where he so closely marked that he barely gets a kick away. His strength is his beautiful delivery. If he is put into a position where he cant use his main weapon, he is not being used to benefit the team the most that he can. I am disappointed that he is moved out of position, where he performs at a lower standard, then he is punished for not performing to his former standard by being sent back to the twos.
I personally think it illogical to play him as a forward, but if that is where the selectors think he should be, then surely they must play him as a forward in the twos, despite the benefit that a run in the midfield would give him. Give him a role in the forward line and make him play it as if he were in the Seniors.
If they play him in the midfield in the twos and he does enough to be recalled, then play him in the midfield. Don't recall him and play him out of position again. It makes no sense.
Click to expand...
Preaching to the converted here Kildonan. Little surprise he had his best game against GWS when he played on the wing. Not sure what the coaches' logic is by playing him up more up forward.
 
Kildonan said:
The next week against Hawthorn Jack had a poorer game: 12 disposals 6CP 1 mark 2 tackles and 1 goal
The response was to drop him to the twos. :rolleyes:

Sinclair is a natural outside mid. Last year he was rated as being our only elite player by Champion Date (IIRC) playing on a wing.
This year he gets taken from the position he is elite at, and thrust forward where he so closely marked that he barely gets a kick away. His strength is his beautiful delivery. If he is put into a position where he cant use his main weapon, he is not being used to benefit the team the most that he can. I am disappointed that he is moved out of position, where he performs at a lower standard, then he is punished for not performing to his former standard by being sent back to the twos.
I personally think it illogical to play him as a forward, but if that is where the selectors think he should be, then surely they must play him as a forward in the twos, despite the benefit that a run in the midfield would give him. Give him a role in the forward line and make him play it as if he were in the Seniors.
If they play him in the midfield in the twos and he does enough to be recalled, then play him in the midfield. Don't recall him and play him out of position again. It makes no sense.
Click to expand...
Fair call Kildonan and Sincs suffering same problem as several others being played out of position.
 
Brains Trust66 said:
Jack will miss the Freo game as he is still in Sandy’s side . Obviously the selectors want him to get a good group of games before he returns .


Go Saints
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Disappointing really. I think he adds a lot more to the side than the other options, particularly when played in his best position. There must be clear directives of what the coaches want him to work on.
 
sverik25 said:
Disappointing really. I think he adds a lot more to the side than the other options, particularly when played in his best position. There must be clear directives of what the coaches want him to work on.
Click to expand...

I agree with you totally.


Go Saints
 
Brains Trust66 said:
Jacks best game for the year so far . 29 disposals, 5 marks and 8 tackles and a goal vs the Eagles over there was a great effort.


Go Saints
Click to expand...
Was great to see his trademark classy use back after a couple of weeks where he found plenty of the ball but uncharacteristically butchered it at times. He definitely provided plenty of run and carry this week as well which was good.

Challenge now for Sincs is to back it up with another good performance as he's been a bit inconsistent this year.
 
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