JACK STEELE says the chance to pull on the red and blue represents an exciting fresh start, after a “whirlwind few days” brought him to Melbourne.

“It happened out of nowhere,” Steele said.
“On the Monday I sat down with Melbourne - they presented to me, and I really liked what they had to say. By Wednesday it was all said and done and I was a Demon.”

Steele said a conversation with Senior Coach Steven King and members of the club’s football department helped shape his decision.

“Kingy wanted to create a really fun and enjoyable environment, which really appealed to me,” he said.
“It just felt like the right time for a fresh chapter." 

A call from Captain Max Gawn also helped seal the move.

“I think I was about 90 percent over the line when I spoke to Maxy,” Steele laughed.
“He’s one of the best leaders and ruckmen in the game - the idea of playing alongside him was extremely appealing.”

Steele will slot into Melbourne’s midfield group, joining the likes of Jack Viney, Xavier Lindsay and Harvey Langford.

“We haven’t gone into too much detail yet, but I’ll be playing through the midfield,” he said.
“In terms of leadership, I’ll just focus on my footy and let that take care of itself.”

He’s also relishing the chance to reunite with a few familiar faces.

“It’s nice having guys like Riv (Jared Rivers), Richo (Alan Richardson) and Max Heath around - we’ve worked together before,” Steele said.
“Everyone’s been so welcoming. Even though not everyone’s back yet, the coaches and younger boys have been so fun.”

Having arrived early for pre-season, Steele said his priority is to settle quickly and build chemistry.

“I’m not great with names and faces, so I wanted to get in early,” he laughed.
“It’s a good chance to meet everyone before the full group returns and get some work in before things ramp up.”