Jack Sinclair

Jack Sinclair was born on February 12, 1995. While he grew up supporting Carlton due to his father’s affiliation, his maternal grandfather, Bill Gleeson, played for St Kilda, the team Sinclair would eventually join. He attended Scotch College alongside future St Kilda teammate Jack Billings and spent his early life in Melbourne suburbs Kew East and Balwyn. Sinclair was initially overlooked in the 2013 AFL draft. He continued to pursue his football aspirations by playing for the Oakleigh Chargers in the TAC Cup as an overage player in 2014, and also for Port Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL), where his performance attracted the attention of recruiters.

Sinclair began his professional career when he was drafted by St Kilda with the first pick in the 2014 Rookie Draft. He debuted in Round 1 of the 2015 AFL season against Greater Western Sydney, playing 18 games in his inaugural year. Early in his career, he was mentored by Jack Newnes. Ahead of the 2017 season, Sinclair was awarded Robert Harvey’s number 35 guernsey, a significant honor. He adapted to various positions, starting as a wingman and half-forward. Sinclair played 20 games in 2018, averaging close to 20 disposals per game, and played every game in 2019, predominantly on the wing, averaging 17 disposals and four tackles per game.

A significant career turning point occurred in 2021 when Sinclair transitioned to the backline. This strategic change proved highly successful, leading to his career-best season. He reached his 100th AFL game in Round Two of the 2021 season. His consistent high performance led to back-to-back Trevor Barker Awards in 2022 and 2023, establishing him as one of the league’s top players. He also earned consecutive All-Australian team selections in 2022 and 2023.