Less than 12 months ago Jack Steele was sitting in the stands at StarTrack Oval in Canberra watching the likes of Callan Ward, Phil Davis and Jeremy Cameron run around against some of the competition’s best.

But this weekend, the 19-year-old local product is getting ready to run out alongside those GIANTS as he plays his first AFL match in Canberra in just his fifth senior game.

“I’m a little bit nervous playing my first game in Canberra but it should be good to see everyone there, hopefully it’s pumping and we get a win over the Cats,” Steele told the media after training on Wednesday.

“I used to always go with Dad to watch games at StarTrack Oval. North Melbourne played there a lot as well as the Swans and I liked watching Boomer Harvey play. I always went to StarTrack Oval when the games were on.”

Growing up in the nation’s capital, Steele’s father Stuart encouraged him to play AFL and he joined his local side, the Belconnen Cats, as a youngster.

When he was 14 he became part of the PM Capital GIANTS Academy and his development to the AFL was fast-tracked.

A knee injury affected his under-18s year so he spent the year after graduating high school focused on his football and working as a Development Officer for AFL Canberra.

“I went around to schools and taught them the basics of footy,” Steele said.

“At a GIANTS game I whacked on the GMAN costume and walked around in it for a couple of hours.”

Steele arrived at the GIANTS as an Academy selection with pick 24 in the 2014 NAB AFL Draft after North Melbourne offered up their first round pick for him.

While Steele admitted to some nerves before his inaugural home-town game, he said he never imagined playing AFL there.

“I never really thought about it to be honest, I always dreamed of the ‘G but I can’t wait to play my first game there,” he said.

“I idolised people like (Joel) Selwood and (Jimmy) Bartel. It’s still a bit weird thinking about matching up on those sorts of players of their calibre so it should be exciting, I’m really looking forward to it.”

The seventh-placed GIANTS take on the 11th-placed Geelong in a blockbuster game on Saturday afternoon in what could be one of the biggest AFL matches the capital has ever seen.

“It’s a huge game for us, a huge game for Geelong and I think it’s a great opportunity for the people of Canberra to see such a quality game coming their way on Saturday,” coach Leon Cameron said on Wednesday.

“Jack’s going to serve it up as much as he gets it on the weekend and that’s why we like him and like playing him in our AFL side. It’s a great tussle in the midfield and all over the ground there’s some great match ups.”

Saturday’s match is on track to sell out with just a few tickets remaining and will at least certainly be the biggest crowd the GIANTS have played in front of in Canberra.

It comes as the GIANTS announced a record membership figure with the club passing last year’s tally of 13,047 members this week.

“To break our membership record this week is just outstanding,” Cameron said.

“Over 13,000 members is just showing that there’s people in Western Sydney, Sydney in general, Canberra and their surrounding areas that are starting to jump on board which is exactly what we’re after.

“People understand that it’s going to take time but we’ve improved on last year in terms of our wins. But it’s not just about the wins, it’s about the support and the membership.

“This week is most likely going to sell out which is just reinforcing we’re on the right track off the field as well.

“We can’t wait for 14-15,000 screaming supporters and a lot of orange on Saturday supporting us against a quality outfit in Geelong. I’m rapt as the coach to see that our membership is growing, it’s great for our club.”

The GIANTS take on Geelong at StarTrack Oval in Canberra at 1.45pm on Saturday, July 25. Tickets are still available but selling fast so get in quick to avoid disappointment.

Tickets start from $24 for an adult, $5 for a junior and just $55 for a family of two adults and two kids. ACT GIANTS members can also upgrade their general admission seats to a reserved seat for a special members rate.
 
The GIANTS will also be running a supporter bus from Sydney to Canberra on the day with a bus ticket $45 or a bus ticket and gold reserved ticket just $65 (Gold reserved ticket usually $47 on its own).

GIANTS v Geelong
Saturday July 25, 1.45pm
StarTrack Oval, Canberra

BUY TICKETS

Click here for more information about the Sydney supporter bus