Jarryn Geary admits he is slightly embarrassed to finish nestled in between St Kilda royalty, but he shouldn’t be following a career-best season, which culminated in a runner-up finish in the 2016 Trevor Barker Award.
The 28-year-old followed up a fifth place finish in last year’s count with an even better performance this season, finishing narrowly ahead of six-time best and fairest winner, Nick Riewoldt, and just adrift of now three-time winner, Jack Steven, who went back-to-back on Thursday night.
“It’s really humbling, especially (when you consider) the guys sitting either side of you. Jack’s won three best and fairest now which is a really great effort and then you look at Nick and he’s won six,” Geary told saints.com.au at Crown Palladium.
“To sit in between those guys is really humbling and a bit embarrassing. I’m really happy with the way things went this year.”
The ultra-reliable small defender played in all but one game in 2016, polling in all but two appearances to underline his supreme level of consistency.
Asked to put his finger on where that consistency is derived from, Geary attributes it to his fierce competitiveness; a trait that holds him in good stead against the opposition’s most dangerous goal sneaks.
“I said it earlier up on stage, I really hate being beaten. I’m a really competitive guy so when I get a challenge thrown at me by the coaches I really set myself for that. Obviously, I don’t like being beaten – I hate losing – so that really drives me,” Geary.
With the Saints possessing Leigh Montagna, Shane Savage and Dylan Roberton across half-back, the club is well placed when it comes to sweeping the ball out of the defensive half.
But the chain starts with Geary’s defensive acts, in a role that the Bendigo Pioneers product not only relishes but thrives in.
“It’s just a really good challenge that I get every week. There’s some really good small forwards throughout the competition. It’s a role that I really enjoy playing,” he said.
“We’ve got some really talented backmen down there at the moment who are really good with the ball in their hand.
“So it’s my job to quell the small forward and try and turn the ball over, so we can give blokes like Dylan Roberton and Leigh Montagna and Shane Savage the opportunity to drive us forward.”
With a few months now up his sleeve to recharge ahead of another pre-season at Linen House Centre, Geary said he will spend time in Melbourne before heading over to visit Spain and Portugal in the second half of his break.
“I’m going to hang around for the first few weeks. I haven’t watched finals footy for a few years, we’ve finished pretty early so I’ve ducked away pretty early, so I’m going to hang around for a bit,” he said.
“And then towards the end of the break I’m going to head to Europe with my girlfriend, Emma, and do a bit of sightseeing through Spain and Portugal before we get back into it.”
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