Jack Steven is the epitome of a footballer getting the most out of himself.
He’s classically blue-collar in his approach, brilliantly talented, fiercely competitive yet grounded and humble.
It’s become a familiar image for Saints fans: bent over on his haunches, scruffy hair dripping in sweat, heaving to suck in as much oxygen as possible at each stoppage before going again.
Now into his 10th season at St Kilda, “Stuv” has consistently featured in the Saints’ best in 2018, an ominous reality given he’s already a three-time Trevor Barker Award winner.
Steven almost missed Round 1 due to a badly sprained ankle sustained in the JLT Community Series, but the Saints’ No. 3 refused to let that slow him down.
The 28-year-old’s average of 28.9 disposals so far this year has him ranked 10th in the league in possessions, a feat made even more impressive considering the constant presence of an opposition tag.
Jack Steven has consistently featured in the Saints' best in 2018
His dynamic influence on the ball is not lost on his teammates, either.
“The way he goes about his footy really inspires us,” in-form defender Jimmy Webster told saints.com.au.
“‘Stuvvy’ gets tagged most weeks and he still finds a way to perform, so he’s someone that I love watching.”
From Lorne to life membership for superstar Steven
His 2018 form blitz is particularly inspiring given that throughout 2017, Steven was hampered by persistent hamstring tendonitis, which affected his pace and acceleration.
Given his game relies heavily on winning the
That resilience encapsulates a man who would give anything for his footy club.
Steven looks utterly physically spent after every single outing in the red, white and black, but no matter the result, rest assured the No. 3 with long sleeves and hands on hips gave it his all.
