Jack Macrae has already achieved just about everything he ever could have wanted from a pure football standpoint. From historic premiership honours, All-Australian accolades, league-wide records that will take some beating and more, you name it, and odds are Macrae has done it.
Despite the lengthy list of personal and team successes after 249 games at the Western Bulldogs, there's no resting on his laurels or coasting through the latter stages of his career. Macrae knows he's got far more in the tank to give, and a hunger to replicate what he was able to achieve in red, white and blue to his new home at St Kilda.
Arriving at St Kilda via this year's Trade Period in exchange for pick No. 45, Macrae is eager to rekindle his absolute best football and play an integral hand in steering St Kilda's youth towards the path he walked with the Bulldogs as a 22-year-old in their drought-breaking premiership year in 2016.
“I just felt like (St Kilda) was a good fit with where I was at in my career and the young group. I felt like there was a need and I could help bring some of my experience and some of my abilities to help the group through the midfield,” Macrae told saints.com.au.
“Also to bring some leadership and some experience to hopefully add something to the group off the field. From the start I've felt so welcomed and loved already, so I’m very appreciative of all that and looking forward to starting pre-season soon.
“It’s been a crazy week or so, I feel like a draftee again getting messages and phone calls from so many players and staff.”
Macrae knows no spot or role is guaranteed as he starts afresh in his new colours, but it isn’t a stretch to say he’ll soon be folding through centre square bounces come his first game in St Kilda colours — the 250th game of his AFL career — alongside the likes of Jack Steele, Mattaes Phillipou and others.
“Going up against Jack Steele in the midfield has been someone I’ve always admired from afar. Just the way he goes about it, similar to a teammate I’ve had in ‘Libba’ (Tom Liberatore), he’s one of those heart and soul players that are so hard to play against,” Macrae said.
“I’m really looking forward to playing with him and a couple of the half-backs as well.
“I pride myself a lot on bringing others into the game and making it easier for others. Hopefully, I can bring some of the really exciting ball-users into the game and I think as you saw how the group finished off the year last season, it’s really exciting.”
That youth headlined by the likes of Max King, Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, Darcy Wilson, Mitch Owens, Marcus Windhager and Phillipou will be pivotal in St Kilda’s climb back into September contention, with the wisdom and experience from a player of Macrae’s calibre as support.
Macrae knows better than most the elation of breaking through for long-awaited triumphs, having done so himself in 2016 to snap the Western Bulldogs’ 62-year premiership drought.
In his fourth season at senior level, Macrae was part of the Dogs’ historic premiership side which netted them their club’s second flag and first since 1954.
St Kilda’s own pursuit of its second cup — now extending beyond 58 years and the current longest drought in the competition after the Bulldogs (2016) and Melbourne (2021) brought their respective success-starved stretches to a head — is something Macrae is intent to have a hand in over his next three seasons signed with the club.
“I’ve always known how much passion there is and how much desire there is to win a premiership, and getting to experience that in 2016 that was something that was just out of this world,” Macrae said.
“For years and years of heartbreak that fans have missed out on, it would just be so special to be able to do that here.”
