Brandon Jack Sydney Swans AFL Club

A Local Football Journey

Brandon Jack’s football journey took him from Westbrook Junior AFL Club and the Pennant Hills Demons to the Sydney Swans. His progression through local football and the Swans Academy added another chapter to Pennant Hills’ history of developing players who reach the AFL.

Brandon came from a family with strong sporting connections. His father, Garry Jack, is a former rugby league footballer and coach, while his older brother, Kieren Jack, became a Sydney Swans premiership player and co-captain. Brandon would eventually join Kieren in the red and white, earning his own opportunity through his speed, development and performances.

From Westbrook to the Demons

After playing junior football at Westbrook, Brandon progressed to Pennant Hills. The Club’s player development records credit him with two Under 18/19 appearances and 23 senior appearances for the Demons. His contribution was recognised in 2011, when he received the Ken MacRae Shield and finished as Pennant Hills’ leading senior goalkicker with 28 goals. These achievements marked him as a promising young player before his move into the AFL system.

Developing Through the Swans Academy

Alongside his club football, Brandon developed through the QBE Sydney Swans Academy. He was among the Academy’s early graduates to reach senior AFL football, with coach John Longmire later acknowledging the program’s contribution to his progress.

Sydney added Brandon to its rookie list ahead of the 2013 season, giving him the opportunity to train and play alongside his brother. At the time, Swans recruiting manager Kinnear Beatson emphasised that Brandon had been recruited on his ability rather than his family connection, identifying his genuine speed as a quality the Club wanted to develop.

Brandon described himself as an outside running player, distinguishing his game from Kieren’s more established midfield role. The challenge was to turn those athletic qualities into consistent performances at the highest level.

An AFL Debut Alongside His Brother

Brandon made his AFL debut on 8 June 2013, against Adelaide at AAMI Stadium, in Round 11. Sydney’s team announcement identified his recruiting club as Pennant Hills, while Longmire highlighted the speed and determination he had shown in the reserves.

Entering the match as the substitute, Brandon shared the field with Kieren in a memorable milestone for the brothers. It was the first time brothers had played together for the Swans since Neil and Graeme Cordy in 1989.

Four Goals at the MCG

One of Brandon’s standout AFL performances came just two appearances later. In Round 15, 2013, he kicked four goals against Melbourne at the MCG in only his third senior game.

Reflecting on his first season, Brandon identified his debut alongside Kieren and that four-goal performance as his two major highlights. He finished the year with nine AFL appearances and seven goals, exceeding his own expectations for his first season on the rookie list.

His progress earned him a senior-list upgrade and a two-year contract extension. During that first year, he also benefited from the guidance of veteran Swan Jude Bolton, who helped him develop in the small-forward role and consider how his game might evolve.

Five Seasons with the Sydney Swans

Brandon spent five seasons on Sydney’s list, from 2013 to 2017, playing 28 senior AFL matches and kicking 16 goals. He wore the number 33 guernsey throughout his AFL career.

His busiest AFL season was 2015, when he made 10 appearances. That year also brought his first experience of senior finals football, joining several other young Swans in making their finals debut against Fremantle.

Although senior opportunities became more limited in his final two seasons, Brandon continued to contribute strongly at reserves level. In 2017, he captained the Swans’ NEAFL team to the Grand Final and was selected on the wing in the NEAFL Team of the Year. At the time of the awards announcement, Sydney reported that he was averaging 28 disposals per game, recognising both his midfield performances and leadership.

Sydney delisted Brandon at the conclusion of the 2017 season, bringing his AFL playing career to an end.

Continuing in Community Football

Leaving the AFL did not immediately end Brandon’s involvement in football. After initially joining Sydney University’s state-league program, he stepped away from those commitments in 2018 to accommodate his studies, music and other interests. Sydney University’s announcement also noted his opportunity to continue playing locally with the UNSW–Eastern Suburbs Bulldogs.

He went on to contribute to the Bulldogs alongside former Swans teammate Dean Towers. In its 2019–20 Blues Awards recognition, UNSW acknowledged Brandon’s involvement in premiership-winning teams and his contribution to developing junior pathways.

This period allowed him to remain involved in competitive football while building a life beyond the professional game.

Returning to the Local Football Community

Brandon’s AFL career also provided opportunities to return to the junior football community where his own journey had begun.

In 2014, he visited Westbrook Junior AFL Club at Mike Kenny Oval alongside Swans teammate Xavier Richards. Westbrook President Paul Vink praised the pair for helping with skills activities, answering questions and making time for the young players.

Brandon later contributed to the local development story in a different way: through his writing. In 2021, he wrote a feature for the Sydney Swans about Braeden Campbell’s Academy journey, including Campbell’s connection with fellow Pennant Hills player Marc Sheather.

Reflecting on the role of Academy graduates in inspiring younger players, Brandon wrote:

“Those who go on to reach the top level become the role models and road map for the next crop coming through.”

— Brandon Jack, Academy: Exhibit A — Braeden Campbell’s Left Boot.

A New Direction Through Study, Music and Writing

Alongside football, Brandon pursued interests in music, writing and university study. He entered UNSW on an academic scholarship, adjusting his study commitments around professional football before graduating with a Bachelor of Arts. He has credited the University’s creative-writing and nonfiction courses with helping shape his work as an author.

His creative work also included music, while his journalism appeared in The Sydney Morning Herald. In interviews following his AFL career, he spoke openly about finding a new direction and learning to value interests beyond his identity as a footballer.

28: Reflecting on Football and Life Beyond It

In 2021, Brandon published 28: A Memoir of Football, Addiction, Art, Masculinity and Love. The title refers to his 28 senior AFL appearances. The book explores his experiences in professional football, the pressures surrounding sporting identity and the process of finding a different path after leaving the AFL.

Rather than presenting a conventional sporting success story, Brandon used the memoir to reflect on the challenges of life on the fringe of an AFL team and the importance of developing a sense of self beyond performance.

From Memoir to Fiction

Brandon followed his memoir with Pissants, his debut novel, published in 2025. Set around the fringe players of a fictional professional football club, the book explores friendship, ambition, insecurity and the pressures of elite sporting culture.

The novel was shortlisted for Literary Fiction Book of the Year at the 2026 Australian Book Industry Awards, marking a significant milestone in his writing career. In April 2026, television adaptation rights were also optioned by filmmakers Jesse Laurie and Lewis Mulholland.

A Place in Pennant Hills’ Development History

Brandon’s pathway from Westbrook and Pennant Hills to the Sydney Swans remains an important part of the Demons’ player development history. His local achievements, AFL appearances and subsequent contribution to community football sit alongside a second career that has taken him into journalism and literature.

The Pennant Hills Demons are proud to recognise Brandon’s achievements and wish him continued success in his writing and future endeavours.