Jack Billings

Jack Billings (born 18 August 1995) is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL), having initially been drafted to the St Kilda Football Club. Billings played TAC Cup with Oakleigh Chargers and played for Vic Metro in Under 18 Championships. Billings is a two-time Under 18 All-Australian after making the team as an underage player.^[1] He was taken by St Kilda with pick #3 in the 2013 National Draft.^[2]

Jack Billings
Billings playing for St Kilda in August 2018
Personal information
Full name	Jack Billings
Date of birth	(1995-08-18) 18 August 1995 (age 29)
Original team(s)	Oakleigh Chargers (TAC Cup)/Scotch College (APS)/Kew Comets (YJFL)
Draft	No. 3, 2013 national draft
Height	185 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Weight	82 kg (181 lb)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Club information
Current club	Melbourne
Number	14
Playing career1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
2014–2023	St Kilda	155 (108)
2024–	Melbourne	16 (4)
Total		171 (112)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2024.
Career highlights
22under22 team: 2017 2014 AFL Rising Star nominee
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

AFL career

Billings made his debut in Round 1 of the 2014 AFL season against Melbourne. He started as the substitute and had limited game time.^[3] After Round 1, Billings was dropped to the VFL for two weeks, kicking five goals for the Sandringham Zebras and was selected in the senior side the next week.^[4][5][6] In Round 14, 2014, against the West Coast Eagles, Billings kicked three goals and gathered 25 touches, earning that round's AFL Rising Star nomination.^[7]

Billings missed large parts of the 2015 and 2016 seasons with a shin injury and ankle injury respectively, but came back strong in the latter part of 2016 to poll votes in the club's best and fairest award in four of the last five games.^[8] Billings injured his hamstring in the 2022 pre season competition.

Billings played his 50th AFL game against Carlton in Round 8, 2017, managing 30 disposals, 12 marks and 5 goals.^[9] In August 2017, Billings signed a two-year contract extension, to remain at the club until the end of 2019.^[10]

After a slump in form in the first half of the 2018 season, Billings was dropped from St Kilda's senior team to their VFL affiliate Sandringham. In his first and only VFL game for 2018, Billings collected 53 disposals and was immediately recalled to the senior team.^[11][12]

Prior to the 2019 season, Billings was elevated to St Kilda's leadership group after teammate Dylan Roberton was sidelined with a heart condition.^[13] Billings played his 100th AFL game in Round 16, 2019 against North Melbourne and starred with 35 disposals.^[14] Billings finished 2019 in fourth place in St Kilda's best and fairest.^[15] Billings signed a contract extension with St Kilda in 2019, keeping him at the club until at least the end of 2021.^[16] He was a restricted free agent in 2021 but, despite speculation he would switch clubs, he signed a new deal.^[17]

Following a downturn in form and injury which led to him only playing 11 games in 2022 and 2023, he was traded to Melbourne after the 2023 AFL season.^[18]

Statistics

Statistics are correct to the end of 2024.^[19]

Legend

G	Goals	K	Kicks	D	Disposals	T	Tackles
B	Behinds	H	Handballs	M	Marks

Season	Team	No.	Games	Totals							Averages (per game)							Votes
				G	B	K	H	D	M	T	G	B	K	H	D	M	T
2014	St Kilda	15	16	14	15	149	84	233	76	28	0.8	0.9	9.3	5.2	14.5	4.7	1.7	–
2015	St Kilda	15	9	7	6	100	83	183	40	28	0.7	0.6	11.1	9.2	20.3	4.4	3.1	–
2016	St Kilda	15	17	6	12	181	162	343	72	56	0.3	0.7	10.6	9.5	20.1	4.2	3.2	–
2017	St Kilda	15	22	23	36	254	254	508	122	69	1.0	1.6	11.5	11.5	23.0	5.5	3.1	–
2018	St Kilda	15	21	14	19	229	230	459	101	59	0.6	0.9	10.9	10.9	21.8	4.8	2.8	–
2019	St Kilda	15	22	13	10	316	250	566	132	65	0.5	0.4	14.3	11.3	25.7	6.0	2.9	1
2020[a]	St Kilda	15	19	11	6	205	147	352	78	47	0.5	0.3	10.7	7.7	18.5	4.1	2.4	2
2021	St Kilda	15	18	14	14	218	143	361	113	35	0.7	0.7	12.1	7.9	20.0	6.2	1.9	2
2022	St Kilda	15	8	5	2	92	44	136	46	19	0.6	0.3	11.5	5.5	17.0	5.8	2.4	0
2023	St Kilda	15	3	1	3	22	23	45	13	6	0.3	1.0	7.3	7.7	15.0	4.3	2.0	0
2024	Melbourne	14	16	4	8	152	98	250	74	29	0.3	0.5	9.5	6.1	15.6	4.6	1.8
Career			171	112	131	1918	1518	3436	866	441	0.7	0.8	11.2	8.9	20.1	5.1	2.6	32

Notes

1. The 2020 season was played with 17 home-and-away matches per team (down from 22) and 16-minute quarters with time on (down from 20-minute quarters with time on) due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Personal life

Billings married Sarah Joyce on 22 December 2023.^[20]

Billings grew up in the Melbourne suburb of Kew and attended Scotch College. He played junior football for Kew Comets in the Yarra Junior Football League.

References

1. Twomey, Callum (4 November 2013). "Draft in focus: Jack Billings". sydneyswans.com.au. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
2. "Pick 3: Jack Billings". saints.com.au. 21 November 2013. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
3. Gleeson, Michael (10 March 2014). "St. Kilda names Dunstan and Billings". The Age. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
4. "Match Centre: St Kilda v GWS". AFL.com.au. Archived from the original on 13 March 2014. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
5. "Lee and Billings into contention". The Advocate. 7 April 2014. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
6. Phelan, Jennifer (19 April 2014). "Riewoldt bags five as Saints stun Bombers". Retrieved 30 September 2019.
7. King, Travis (23 June 2014). "Rising Star Jack Billings gives Saints a ray of hope". AFL.com.au. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
8. Gabelich, Josh (27 September 2016). "Season Review: Jack Billings". saints.com.au. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
9. Gabelich, Josh (28 September 2017). "Season Review: Jack Billings". saints.com.au. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
10. "Billings re-signs until the end of 2019". saints.com.au. 17 August 2017. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
11. Masenhelder, Trent (10 June 2018). "Demoted Saint puts in standout performance in VFL". AFL.com.au. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
12. Whiting, Michael (16 June 2018). "Match Report: Gold Coast v St Kilda". AFL.com.au. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
13. Ryan, Michael (20 March 2019). "Billings steps up". saints.com.au. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
14. Warren, Stu (7 July 2019). "Roos continue finals push after dispatching Saints in Hobart". AFL.com.au. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
15. "Ross takes home second Trevor Barker Award". saints.com.au. 11 September 2019. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
16. "Billings stays a saint". saints.com.au. 20 June 2019. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
17. "Experienced duo sign on for 2022". saints.com.au. 13 September 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
18. @AFL_House (18 October 2023). "Trade paperwork lodged" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
19. "Jack Billings". AFL Tables. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
20. Epstein, Jackie (7 January 2024). "AFL stars wed in lavish off-season celebrations". Herald Sun. Retrieved 11 February 2024.

External links

• Jack Billings's profile on the official website of the St Kilda Football Club
• Jack Billings's playing statistics from AFL Tables