Jess Sinclair
Encyclopedia
Jess Sinclair is an Australian rules football
er who formerly played in the Australian Football League
, Sinclair was a dashing half back flanker who had played for first the Fremantle Dockers
, and later the Kangaroos
.
for the TAC Cup
before being drafted to Fremantle in the 1996 AFL Draft
with selection 31. He was seen as a development player and had a breakout year in 1998, playing in 20 of the 22 games, winning a AFL Rising Star nomination and finishing 10th in the club best and fairest
award. However he did not continue to develop in the coming years and after playing only 21 more games for a total of 50 at Fremantle, he was traded to the Kangaroos at the end of the 2000 season as part of the Peter Bell
trade.
in 2006. He announced his retirement from AFL
football on the 10th of September 2008, at the age of 30.
Since retiring from the AFL, Sinclair has played for the Heidelberg Football Club
in the Northern Football League. He played in the club's 2009 premiership team, and is still at the club as of 2011.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er who formerly played in the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
, Sinclair was a dashing half back flanker who had played for first the Fremantle Dockers
Fremantle Football Club
The Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed The Dockers, is an Australian rules football team which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in the port city of Fremantle at the mouth of the Swan River in Western Australia...
, and later the Kangaroos
Kangaroos Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
.
Fremantle career
Jess represented Eastern RangesEastern Ranges
The Eastern Ranges are an Australian rules football team in the TAC Cup.The club is a founding member of the TAC Cup competition and has produced several players for the Australian Football League including Nick Malceski, David Wirrpanda, Jess Sinclair, Damian Cupido, Lindsay Gilbee, Travis Cloke,...
for the TAC Cup
TAC Cup
The TAC Cup is an under 18 Australian rules football representative competition held in Victoria, Australia. It is based on geographic regions throughout country Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne with each team representing 12 Victorian regions....
before being drafted to Fremantle in the 1996 AFL Draft
1996 AFL Draft
The 1996 AFL Draft was held at the conclusion of the 1996 Australian Football League season.The AFL Draft is the annual draft of new unsigned players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League.Clubs receive picks based...
with selection 31. He was seen as a development player and had a breakout year in 1998, playing in 20 of the 22 games, winning a AFL Rising Star nomination and finishing 10th in the club best and fairest
Best and Fairest
Best and Fairest is the term commonly used in Australian sport to describe the player adjudged to have had the best performance in a game or over a season for a given sporting club or competition while not receiving a suspension for misconduct or breaching the rules during that season.In the...
award. However he did not continue to develop in the coming years and after playing only 21 more games for a total of 50 at Fremantle, he was traded to the Kangaroos at the end of the 2000 season as part of the Peter Bell
Peter F. Bell
Peter Francis Bell is a former Australian rules footballer for the Fremantle Football Club and the North Melbourne Football Club. He played as a rover . A former captain of the Fremantle Football Club, Bell was twice named as a member of the All-Australian Team...
trade.
North Melbourne career
Sinclair transformed from a wingman to become a rebounding defender in 2002. In 2003 he had an above average year before ending badly in Round 20 by earning a five match suspension that delayed his start to 2004. His form decreased in 2004, playing only 17 games for 245 possessions. Since 2005 Sinclair has become more consistent, playing over 20 games each season, including every game in 2007 and finishing in the top 10 in the Syd Barker MedalSyd Barker Medal
The Syd Barker Medal is awarded to the North Melbourne Football Club player who has been judged the best and fairest of the footy season. The award has been given out continuously since 1937. Before then it was known as the Syd Barker Memorial Trophy....
in 2006. He announced his retirement from AFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
football on the 10th of September 2008, at the age of 30.
Since retiring from the AFL, Sinclair has played for the Heidelberg Football Club
Heidelberg Football Club
Heidelberg Football Club is an Australian rules football club in Heidelberg, Victoria, currently competing in the Northern Football League.-History:...
in the Northern Football League. He played in the club's 2009 premiership team, and is still at the club as of 2011.