A Jack of all trades
By Alison Zell
Donna Jack has been involved in elite football for most of her life. The wife of former Balmain Tigers fullback and Rugby League legend Garry Jack, she was a footballer’s wife before becoming mum to three boys.
Long after Garry has retired, she now watches a different code with the same intensity and anxiety, as mum to Sydney Swans players Kieren and Brandon Jack.
“I’ve been involved in footy for a long time but being a footy mum is much harder than being a footy wife,” Donna said.
“It’s harder being a footy mum because I knew Garry could look after himself but Kieren and Brandon are my children.”
Kieren grew up as the eldest of Donna’s three boys, in Cherrybrook in Sydney. He played both Rugby League and AFL until deciding to focus on an AFL career. While middle brother Rhys followed his father’s footsteps, playing in the Bulldogs Toyota Cup side before focusing on a professional career, youngest child Brandon followed his eldest brother into AFL.
“At one point we had all three boys playing footy so the weekends were spent running all over Sydney to watch them play,” Donna said.
Kieren was drafted to the Sydney Swans in 2005 at 18 years-old as a rookie listed player, and although he didn’t move interstate, it was still tough for Donna and Garry.
“When Kieren moved out, even though it was just to the other side of Sydney, I cried and I cried and I cried,” Donna said.
“He moved in with (former Swans Assistant Coach) Brett Allison and his wife which made it easier because we knew Brett from rep football.”
When her youngest son was drafted by the Swans at the end of last year, Donna had to deal with another child leaving home, but this time it was a little easier.
“It was still hard but a bit better with Brandon because he’s living with Kieren and I know that he will look after him,” Donna said.
“Brandon’s a diabetic and a celiac which makes me worry but I know Kieren is up to speed on all of that and Brandon doesn’t need much looking after anyway.
“They’re very close even though there’s a seven year age difference so I know Kieren is always looking out for Brandon.”
Donna and husband Garry spend their weekends watching Kieren play in the Swans’ senior side and Brandon line up for the Swans reserves, often spending more than six hours at the footy every weekend.
“It’s exhausting but we make sure we try and watch both of the boys every week,” Donna said.
“Last week we spent the reserves game and the Swans game with the Richards family (All-Australian defender Ted Richards plays in the senior side and younger brother Xavier in the reserves) and after eight quarters of football we were just exhausted.”
Being a footy mum certainly has its highlights but there are tough times as well.
“The best thing is being able to watch them achieve their dreams and do well in what they’ve chosen to do,” Donna said.
“From mine and Garry’s point of view, it’s a great social environment at the Swans and they’ve welcomed the two boys and our whole family with open arms.”
“The hardest thing is if they get injured but so far there hasn’t been anything too bad.
“Kieren got knocked out by Jude (Bolton) once and I’ve never felt so sick in my whole life.
“It’s also hard seeing them after the game because they are so absolutely spent. I remember a game a few years ago out at ANZ Stadium and my father, Kieren’s grandfather, went and saw him in the sheds after the game and Kieren was just so physically exhausted.
“We walked out and my father said to me, ‘I never want to see Kieren like that again’, so that’s hard.”
All three of Donna’s boys have excelled in their chosen careers thus far with Kieren named co-captain of the Swans this year and Brandon impressing on the Swans rookie list after blitzing his HSC exams in 2012. Rhys, while moving away from football, has also completed a degree and is studying for a second, while also working.
“My proudest moment of Keiren was definitely the 2012 Grand Final because that’s been his dream for so long,” Donna said.
“And when he won the Bob Skilton Medal (Swans Best and Fairest) because that came so early in his career.
“With Brandon it’s been the way he applied himself at school and got such an amazing mark at the same time as footy.
“He was so good though and if he needed to study he’d call up his footy coach and said he couldn’t train that day because he needed to concentrate on school.
“I’m so proud of the people they have all become, outside of footy, they’re all really good boys.”
In a message to his mum on the Swans’ website, Kieren said Donna was an integral part of his footballing success.
“My mum’s been incredible for me,” he said.
“There’s three boys in the family, her life’s been run by football every day during the week and on the weekends driving us around everywhere so I’m very thankful for her and she’s the most selfless person I know.
“I love her to bits.”