St Kilda youngster Jack Sinclair will wear club legend Robert Harvey's iconic No.35 guernsey next season, as the club revealed the next number change ahead of 2017.
The 21-year-old burst onto the scene in his debut season in 2015, playing 18 games off the rookie list, before adding a further nine games this year to take his career tally to 27.
Having followed the Saints as a young boy and grown up idolising Harvey, Sinclair said it was an honour to receive the dual Brownlow medallist’s famous digits.
“When they offered it to me I was more than happy to say yes. I watched a lot of the Sainter’s growing up and Robert Harvey was one of my favourite players to watch across the whole league,” Sinclair told saints.com.au before departing for the clubs pre-season camp in New Zealand.
“So it was a bit of a no brainer really, it’s a certainly a pretty big number in the history of our club; it’s a real honour to be able to wear it going forward.”
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After not quite reaching the heights he set in his maiden season, Sinclair made a statement upon return to this pre-season by winning the first to fourth years 3km time-trial on day one.
“I’m pretty happy with how I’ve started the pre-season, I think I’ve come back in good shape,” Sinclair said.
“I haven’t missed a session yet, I feel like I’m running really well and my body’s feeling good, so it’s good to get off to a good start.”
Sinclair starred at VFL level through the midfield, but was forced to play predominantly across half-forward at senior level in 2016, a role he is looking to build on next season through a summer with the forwards group.
“I’m doing most of my training right now with the forwards, which given I play a lot more forward (at AFL level) makes sense,” he said.
“I’m just trying to keep improving my running capacity so if I do play midfield I’m more than capable to play there, and I’m also looking to put on some more size so that I can match it with the bigger bodies on the inside.”
St Kilda announced on Wednesday afternoon that emerging star Jade Gresham had inherited the No. 4 guernsey after his stunning debut season.
One of the most famous numbers in the history of St Kilda Football Club, Gresham will wear a guernsey worn with distinction by Tony Lockett, Barry Breen, Darrel Baldock and Andrew Thompson.
