Captain Jack was committed to the Saints. Now he’s a Demon. He explains what changed

Former captain Jack Steele says the Saints’ trade and free agency raid last season was “noisy” and left him unsure of his place in the club as his former team splashed cash to lure several big names.

Now with Melbourne, Steele, who initially wanted to stay at the Saints and fight for a spot in the midfield, says there is a weight off his shoulders at his new club.

But he says the aggressive approach was not necessarily a bad thing.

“It was noisy,” Steele said when asked what he thought of the Saints’ approach to list management during 2025. “At that point in time I was still committed to the Saints, so I didn’t know what it meant for me ... in many ways I was excited by the change because there was an aggressive approach. It has been criticised a lot and I don’t really want to touch on that. It is what it is.”

Of all the moves they made last year, Steele says the unprecedented $2 million-a-year contract offered to Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera was on the money because his former teammate can handle the pressure and become the AFL’s best player.

Wanganeen-Milera backed up that assessment on Saturday with a brilliant display – four goals and 28 touches – in a pre-season hit-out against Essendon, further enhancing the hype that surrounded the 23-year-old at the end of the last season.

“He can be the best in the game,” Steele said.

“He just wants to be great. And it’s not really about his Monday to Friday. He just rocks up and gets it done. It’s a real attitude thing.

“You can’t teach that to young players and he has already got it. There is obviously a lot of pressure and talk, but I think he’ll back it up. He’s a pleasure to watch and [was] a pleasure to play with.”

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Steele won’t be there to watch his rise at close quarters after joining Melbourne on the final day of last year’s trade period, having already stepped down as St Kilda captain at the end of the season after deciding midway through the year he would relinquish the title. But he will get a glimpse in a fortnight when St Kilda play Melbourne in round one.

A dual All-Australia, Steele said his desire to stay and fight for his spot at the Saints changed after he met new Demons’ coach Steven King and list manager Tim Lamb. Their enthusiasm for what he could offer and respect for what he had achieved was enough to convince him to make the switch.

He can say now that he wasn’t enjoying his football last season, as much as he was trying to put on a brave front around the club to lead his teammates.

The change has him freshened up. Not only is Steele enthused about being at a new club with a new coach, but he is relishing the release of no longer captain.

“There is a fair weight off my shoulders; a lot less pressure for sure” Steele admits.

“Kingy’s trying to take as much anxiety out of the program and [have us] enjoy the program ... as long as we work hard. It has been fun. That will all be tested when the season comes around, but it has been a great place to go to work so far.”

Working hard has never been an issue for Steele, who played under duress regularly while he was Saints skipper. He will be required to step up immediately at Melbourne, with vice-captain Jack Viney to absent early in the season with injury.

The 30-year-old’s role in Melbourne’s new-look midfield will be vital. He is clear about what his role is, and the club’s confidence in him is apparent. He is also motivated by the clean slate he has at the Demons, and is looking forward to experiencing life alongside captain Max Gawn.

“He’s [King] really simplified the game for everyone but for me, too. I was probably overthinking things a bit in the last couple of the years,” Steele said.

Steele says King has a relatability that suits him. But although he admires the first-time coach, he doesn’t want to leave the impression King – who played 47 games at St Kilda after a distinguished career at Geelong – is casual and relaxed.

“He still has a hard edge and he still demands excellence, and he is still ruthless in the way he presents,” Steele said. “But he has got a soft touch about him, I suppose, which I feel resonates a lot with this generation. I am not going to compare him with what I have had in the past, but he is still very in touch with the group. Maybe that is easier at the start of your coaching tenure.”

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