Jarrad McVeigh Biography

Jarrad McVeigh will step straight from an outstanding 325-game playing career into a key coaching role at Sydney as part of a significant shake-up of the Swans' coaching structure.

"Jarrad had an outstanding career and in many ways, has been like an on-field coach over the past few years," Swans head of football Charlie Gardiner said.

"I see him making a smooth transition into coaching. He's highly respected, he has a great relationship with all of our players and staff, and he'll be a really valuable addition to the coaching team."

Jarrad McVeigh has called time on his illustrious 324-game career with Sydney, saying that 2019 will be his final season at AFL level.

"I didn't want to pass through this club and not give everything I could," McVeigh said.

"I feel like I've achieved a lot and left a pretty good legacy for our future players, like the players before me did as well.

"I took that baton from them and hopefully I'll hand it over to the next group to take the club forward."

Jarrad McVeigh beyond 2019 is in doubt after the premiership defender was injured again on the weekend and will miss the next month of footy.

McVeigh made his return to the field in Saturday's NEAFL win over Southport and was one of his side's best with 21 possessions, eight tackles and a goal, but strained his calf in the final term.

"He's clearly disappointed that it's another soft-tissue injury. He's a pretty resilient sort of bloke. But I think this is even testing him a bit," Sydney coach John Longmire said.

Jarrad McVeigh will be out for up to two months following a quad injury suffered against Carlton at Marvel Stadium.

At 34, Jarrad McVeigh understands the end date of his storied career is a talking point.

"Those questions will always come (from the media), but that works itself out towards the back-end of the year or whenever that might be," he said.

"I'm just focused on having my best year ever and that’s all I've ever tried to do."

Jarrad McVeigh signs a new one-year deal to play on for a 17th AFL season in 2019 with the Swans.

"A lot of people have told me when you know you're going to retire, you know, and I haven't reached that point yet," McVeigh said.

"This pre-season was the first I've had for three or four years, so I think my form has been to a high standard and I'm rapt to be going around again next year."

Jarrad McVeigh will miss the next six weeks after being forced into surgery on a broken collarbone.

McVeigh landed heavily on his side while laying a tackle in the final quarter of Sydney's loss to Geelong at the SCG and will have a plate inserted.

Ryley Stoddart signs a one-year contract extension to remain at Sydney until the end of 2020 after just eight games into his debut season.

Stoddart says he's already learnt plenty from his mentor at the club, former co-captain and star defender Jarrad McVeigh.

"The guy has so much experience and knows more about the game than anyone I know, so I couldn't ask for a better guy to be paired with," Stoddart said.

"The whole club has been unbelievable since I arrived here, and I couldn't be happier."

Jarrad McVeigh and wife Clement welcome their third daughter, Florence, into the world on the eve of his 300th game.

"We tried to put a few things in place because she was actually due next Monday, so we sped things up a bit," McVeigh said.

"The week has started off pretty well, everyone is healthy and happy so I'll quickly train today then head back to the hospital.

"Two father-daughters (for the future) is all right."

Jarrad McVeigh signs a one-year contract extension with Sydney to play on in 2018.

"It's exciting to have another year as a Sydney Swans player ahead of me, but also to be able to continue working with the younger players coming through," McVeigh said.

"We've got some really exciting young talent and they’re only going to get better – I'm rapt to have the opportunity to continue helping them along the way."

Jarrad McVeigh says he wants to play on into his 15th season in 2018 but still has no idea if he'll do it at the Swans.

"If my body is right and I'm playing at a high level, then I definitely want to play on," he said.

"I've got a strong relationship with everyone at the club and we know where it's all at.

"I've got a young family so it's not just about next year, it's about the 10 years after that.

"I understand it's a ruthless business and there's got to be a spot for me, and I've got to perform as well."

Jarrad McVeigh says he wasn't impressed with Will Langford kissing him during Hawthorn's upset win over the Swans at the MCG on Friday night.

The pair were engaged in several heated exchanges and on two separate occasions Langford planted a kiss on McVeigh's cheek.

In the initial instance just before half-time, an incensed McVeigh reacted by shoving the Hawk in the face and was penalised.

After McVeigh kicked a crucial goal early in the last quarter to bring the Swans back to within four points, Langford puckered up again.

Langford, who performed strongly for the winners, later made light of the situation.

"I'm always just talking to opposition players and try and keep it nice and lighthearted and have a bit of fun out there," Langford told Channel 7 post-match.

However, McVeigh wasn't laughing when asked about the final-term kiss, which was caught on camera.

"He did it beforehand as well, earlier on, and I probably reacted too much and gave away a free kick," McVeigh told Triple M.

"I'm not going to stand there and take that. I thought it was pretty disrespectful. But that's the way it is."

Jarrad McVeigh will miss this week's clash against St Kilda due to a low-grade hamstring strain.

The veteran played out the match last week against the Kangaroos despite his injury and kicked two vital goals.

"Scans have revealed a low-grade hamstring strain so it was a really brave effort by Jarrad to not only play on, but contribute with a couple of goals," Swans football manager Tom Harley said.

"He won’t play this week and we will assess him as he goes through the week as to whether he plays against Hawthorn the weekend after."

Sydney coach John Longmire confirms that veteran Jarrad McVeigh is likely to miss at least the first two games of the season after suffering a calf injury.

"Those challenges are always going to be there as you get older, but he's got an enormous amount of experience to draw upon," Longmire said.

"He's a massive competitor, he's a real professional, and that gives him a chance, and sometimes all that blokes like that need is a chance."

Sydney has conceded premiership defender Jarrad McVeigh could now miss multiple games at the start of the season with a serious calf injury.

"It is a bit of a nasty calf and he won't be playing at the start of the season," Swans football manager Tom Harley said.

"An exact return date, it's a bit hard to pin down, but he won't be playing in the first couple of weeks."

Jarrad McVeigh looks set for another late start to the season after injuring his calf at training.

Gary ablett and Luke Hodge are set to add to their long list of achievements by being named as AFL Life Members.

Ablett and Hodge join St Kilda's Leigh Montagna, Western Bulldogs veteran Matthew Boyd and Sydney 2012 premiership captain Jarrad McVeigh in automatically qualifying for life membership having reached 300 AFL games.

Josh Kennedy is named as the sole captain for the Swans in 2017, replacing former co-captains Jarrad McVeigh and Kieren Jack, who decided to step down after off-season discussions about the future of the club with coach John Longmire.

"There's aspects of my leadership that are going to evolve and improve, and there's no doubt that has to be the case," Kennedy said.

"I know I'll have the support of the leadership group and together we're steering the ship which I take great confidence out of.

"It's still a little bit daunting but not much has to change, and that's due to Jarrad (McVeigh) and Kieren (Jack), and the captains before them who have set the foundations."

After taking the reins from John Longmire in the opening round of the NAB Challenge, Jarrad McVeigh believes a stint in the coaching hot seat could improve his on-field leadership.

"It was weird, but they [his teammates] were saying to me that because I speak to them before games anyway it was just as if it was a normal game," McVeigh said.

McVeigh caused some mirth among the other coaches soon after settling into his seat in the coaches' box when he innocently said after a passage of play, "Gee, we do some silly things sometimes."

Then he began to recognise what the coaches dealt with every time the team played.

"Just the little things … like trying to get a message to the runner for something to happen quick but he is out on the field," McVeigh said.

"By the time he comes back it's already changed again so you have to cancel that stuff."

McVeigh had suggestions coming from all angles, meaning his elite decision-making on the field was tested off it.

"I had to pick and choose which one I thought was best or if I wanted to go with my own gut," McVeigh said.

"[I was] trying to think through things on the spot pretty quickly and make a decision quickly because the game moves so fast. It was mentally draining, I guess."

When it came to addressing the team at the breaks he worked out a list of points he wanted to make before fronting the team.

"You don't want to get down there and just be staring at the boys," McVeigh said.

"I can't even remember what I was saying. I forgot a few things here and there. I just got through the points and just finished. 'Horse' [John Longmire] spoke to me about that."

Dan Hannebery and defenders Dane Rampe and Heath Grundy have been added to the Sydney Swans leadership group for 2016.

The trio was voted into the new roles by teammates on the Swans' pre-season camp to Coffs Harbour a fortnight ago, joining co-captains Jarrad McVeigh and Kieren Jack, plus Nick Smith, Josh Kennedy and Luke Parker in the eight-man group.

Injured Sydney Swans co-captain Jarrad McVeigh will get an early insight into what his life could be like in retirement when he coaches the club in this week's NAB Challenge match against Port Adelaide.

McVeigh still hasn't joined the Swans' main training group since having knee surgery at the end of last season but will take over from senior coach John Longmire in a one-off experience when his side takes on Port at Blacktown.

"We actually think it's more important doing it this way for our playing group," McVeigh said.

"It's more about improving our leadership as players and a leadership group, and seeing what the players see out on the field and then trying to bring that to the coaches, and seeing if we're on the same page.

"Ultimately, it's what we do out on the ground that can be (the difference between) wins and losses, obviously coaches make a lot of moves throughout the game but in the end it's the players on the field that are trying to organise and do different things to win the game."

Jarrad McVeigh returns to the training track for the first time since off-season knee surgery.

"Step one is to get the rehab right and the strength right, then you move into running for fitness, then obviously progress into game intensity drills," Swans' football manager Tom Harley said.

"Jarrad’s still got a few more boxes to tick at this stage, but he’s the captain of the club and he does everything right all the time."

Jarrad McVeigh will play in his 250th game this week and says winning the 2012 premiership has been the highlight of his career.

"To stand there and get a medal is what you dream of as a little kid," McVeigh said.

"My dad took my brother and I to our first grand final in 1993, Essendon versus Carlton. You grow up watching that day your whole life, then to be part of it and hold up the cup, there's nothing better in footy."

Jarrad McVeigh and Kieren Jack will co-captain the Sydney Swans again in 2015.

"It's a huge honour, and something I treasure along with Kieren as well," McVeigh said.

"To be able to lead a very good football team every week is a dream come true for me."

Sydney Swans co-captain Jarrad McVeigh expresses his dismay in his team's poor showing following theeir 63-point Grand Final loss to Hawthorn.

"It's as bad a performance as we've had all year, and on the biggest stage it's really, really disappointing," McVeigh said.

"Not many guys won their position, I wouldn't have thought, and (the Hawks) were just too good.

"They showed us how to be hard on the big stage and we didn't cope with it."

Jarrad McVeigh says he is ready to have an active role raising awareness of childhood heart disease two-and-a-half years since losing his baby daughter to a heart condition.

"For me personally it was almost too hard to do things, but now I'm feeling like I can do that type of stuff and I want to get more involved," McVeigh said.

"It's taken a bit of time, and to keep telling the story does take quite a toll. But now I'm more able to do that.

"Six babies every day are born with a heart condition and four of those don't make it every week. Spreading that awareness is something I want to be a part of."

Jarrad McVeigh extends his tenure at the Swans until the end of 2017, effectively making him a Swan for life.

"I'm really happy here, I think we've got a really good group and some really good young guys coming through," McVeigh said.

"There's exciting times ahead for this club and I want to be part of it for as long as I can."

Mark McVeigh is appointed as head of the Greater Western Sydney Academy.

"I am really excited about the opportunity to nurture young talent from the region through the Giants Academy," McVeigh said.

"As somebody who grew up playing AFL in NSW, I am passionate about giving kids an opportunity to pursue their dream to play the game at the highest level.

"We have already seen the talent produced in this region and I'm sure there will be a lot more in the years to come."

Jarrad McVeigh claims his second Bob Skilton Medal as Sydney's best and fairest for 2013.

McVeigh polled 809 votes to finish ahead of fellow co-captain Kieren Jack (769) and last year's winner Josh Kennedy (750).

"In a season where injuries struck down key personnel, Jarrad has been a consistent contributor all year," Sydney coach John Longmire said.

"Both on and off the field, Jarrad's leadership has been outstanding.

"His ability to adapt at various stages of the season and go into the defence shows his versatility and ability to play his role for the team at all ends of the ground.

"Jarrad stood up in big games throughout the season and led from the front. He's an outstanding player and co-captain and a real leader at the club."

Jarrad McVeigh has excelled as a defender across half-back and Sydney coach John Longmire says he is in no rush to move the Swans co-captain back into the midfield.

"McVeigh was one of our leading goalkickers until we moved him back and he has taken his game to another level, we think, as far as his leadership and his consistency," Longmire said.

Swans co-captain Jarrad McVeigh says big name recruit Kurt Tippett will have to earn his place in the side after his 11-week suspension.

"He has to earn that first game and when he does [he will] have earned it," McVeigh said.

"We don't give games away easily."

Just hours after signing a new contract with the Swans, Kieren Jack has been named as Sydney's co-captain for the 2013 AFL season along with Jarrad McVeigh.

"Over the past few years we have seen Kieren develop enormously as player, but also as a leader," Sydney coach John Longmire said.

"I'm sure he will continue to grow into the captaincy role but I'm really confident he and Jarrad will be a fantastic combination to guide our group.

"It's a great thing for football in NSW to have a couple of local NSW boys leading the team into the 2013 season."

Swans co-captain Jarrad McVeigh will be the official skipper in Saturday's Grand Final.

"We're both equally a part of it and very proud to lead out team out," McVeigh said his co-captaincy with Adam Goodes.

"Nothing changes; it's just the toss of the coin and stuff like that. Our leadership group and 'Goodesy' and myself are very proud to lead this group out.

"We haven't really spoken about [who will lift the cup first] because we've got a lot of hard work to do before we can do that."

Jarrad McVeigh says he and others who didn't play in the 2005 flag win still feel the pain of losing the 2006 Grand Final to West Coast.

"Obviously it's very disappointing to lose a Grand Final. You still think about it, and it still hurts," McVeigh said ahead of Sydney's Grand Final against Hawthorn.

"I'm fortunate enough now to get another opportunity and I don't really want to waste that opportunity."

Sydney coach John Longmire says Jarred McVeigh is regarded as the team's commander-in-chief.

"He sees the game really well and he understands the game really well. He's got great football smarts," Longmire said.

"It's an important quality to have, being able to see the game and assist with the on-field work, which he's very good at."

Sydney Swan Jarrad McVeigh tells of how difficult it was to lose his baby daughter last year, saying he will never forget her.

"We will never forget Luella but we want to be parents again, we want to be a family," McVeigh said.

"You can sit around and wait and be depressed and not want to do anything but we're not the type of people to be like that."

The Sydney Swans are in mourning after Luella McVeigh, the daughter of co-captain Jarrad McVeigh, passed away.

"We are all so very sad for Jarrad and Clementine and their families," Sydney coach John Longmire said in a statement.

"Our hearts go out to them in deepest sympathy. We will be doing everything we can to support them through this terribly difficult time."

New Sydney co-captain Jarrad McVeigh is looking forward to leading his side out as skipper for the first time against the Demons in round 1 of 2011.

"From watching this club as a young boy ... even to just run out for this team is a great honour, but to lead the boys out along with Goodesy is going to be a special day," he said.

Dual Brownlow medallist Adam Goodes and 2008 club champion Jarrad McVeigh will be joint captains of the Sydney Swans in 2011.

"It's a big job, and they are quite different people so I believe they will complement each other as they undertake this important role for the club," Swans coach John Longmire said.

"I chose Jarrad as co-captain because he plays a disciplined role for the team and has done so for a number of years now. He understands the game well and is prepared to help drive the group."

Sydney's reigning best and fairest winner, Jarrad McVeigh, signs a new contract until the end of 2012.

''It's nice to get it done and we're really pleased, he's obviously one of our quality players, he won the club champion award in 2008, has been another very good player for us this year, and the other thing is he's a really well-respected person around the club and probably one of the emerging leaders from our younger group,'' Swans football manager Andrew Ireland said.

Sydney Swans midfielder Jarrad McVeigh has withdrawn from the side to play Essendon after injuring himself in the warm-up.

Sydney Swans coach Paul Roos lauds midfielder Jarrad McVeigh after another solid performance against Carlton.

"You can put a Macca to a Judd when you’re often scratching your head as to what you can do and he made a significant difference to the game when he went there," Roos said.

"He's still a developing midfielder consistently performing well last year and at the start of this year. He's certainly getting up towards that status, but he's only young in his career."

Midfielder Jarrad McVeigh says the Swans are determined to return to their trademark hard-at-it footy this weekend after an embarrassing performance against the Lions.

"We were embarrassed with our performance. We want to really stick to our trademark as a footy club and that's hard, contested footy," he said.

"We were soft on the weekend and having a good hard look at ourselves this week. It starts today at training and we'll be ready to go this week and hopefully you'll see a different team."