DECEMBER 12, 2006 – St Kilda throws an 18-year-old from Bendigo a rookie opportunity.
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Considered unlucky to have been overlooked at the AFL National Draft in late November, Jarryn Geary’s footballing dreams had been left hanging in limbo.
Yet just over a decade on, Geary’s name now sits alongside the likes of Nick Riewoldt, who he has taken over from, Lenny Hayes, Robert Harvey, Trevor Barker, Ian Stewart and Darrel Baldock as a captain of St Kilda.
The newest St Kilda skipper – a product of Eaglehawk – was selected by the Saints with pick 58 at the 2006 AFL Rookie Draft.
Of 151 players who were taken throughout the three drafts of 2006 – National, Pre-Season and Rookie – Geary was the sixth-last selected. Only Earl Shaw (Sydney), Ashley Thornton (West Coast), Will Hammill (Brisbane), Jayden Attard (St Kilda) and Beau Wilkes (West Coast) were picked behind the former Bendigo Pioneer in 2006.
Following his selection, Geary, who had done a three-week block of training with the Bendigo Bombers following his 2006 Neville Strauch Club Champion season with the Pioneers, told the Bendigo Advertiser the first bit of advice given to him by then Saints’ coach Ross Lyon was to “work hard and make the most of my opportunity.”
Geary clearly heeded the message from Lyon from day one, with hard work and leadership having become synonymous with the gritty defender, who, after the initial goal in his first year at the club in 2007 was to simply play well in the VFL with the Saints’ affiliate Casey Scorpions “and see what happens”, has now played 141 AFL games.
Now 28, Geary has overcome the disappointment of not playing in any of the Saints’ three grand finals in 2009 and 2010 – he was an emergency in all three – plus a serious elbow injury in his 100th game that ended his season in round seven, 2014, to be elevated to the captaincy.
Geary’s ascension to captain is not only a fantastic achievement and reward for all his hard work, it’s also a tremendous fillip for the Bendigo Pioneers, who now have two of their class of 2006 as 2017 AFL captains.
As well as Geary (pictured the day he was drafted) leading the Saints, his 2006 Pioneers’ team-mate Joel Selwood is preparing for his sixth season as Cats’ skipper.
What a moment that will be on April 23 when Geary and Selwood meet in the middle of Etihad Stadium to toss the coin before the St Kilda-Geelong clash in round five.
Luke West – sports reporter