Captain Lew Steering the Ship for 100 of the Best

From Josh Steadman and Scott Dadswell

Lewis, Lew, Steerey (all to be used interchangeably throughout) will bring up his 100^th club game for the mighty University Blacks Football Club on Saturday when he leads his charges out on to T H King Oval. Lew is in his ninth season at the Blacks and his time here is a shining example of truly getting out of something what you invest into it. Lew has invested a lot in the Club and the people that comprise it and in return has developed lifelong personal relationships and also been the benefactor of a life-defining, serendipitous moment – more on this later. Let’s wind back to 2015; Malcolm Turnball was the Australian PM, Bruno Mars was topping the music charts (Captain Steere wouldn’t be a fan of this) and a country lad left the safe confines of home town Warrnambool in search of the meaning of life in the big smoke – Melbourne.

Growing up in Warrnambool, Lewis juggled the football / basketball dual athlete path made famous by Scott Pendlebury and many other high profile “duals”. Spectators on the sidelines have been known to remark following a moment of silk - “there’s that basketball background shining through”.  On the football side, Lew notched up over 100 games with Warrnambool Football Club where the Steere family is heavily connected, and Lew’s old man Wally is President. On the basketball side, Lew was a part of various rep squads and won the Division 1 Big V Basketball Title with the Seahawks. Not bad, eh? Off the field Lewis was plying his trade as a chef and it was predominantly this pursuit which triggered the move to Melbourne. If you haven’t asked him about his former calling, it’s a worthy yarn and he tells a good story.

Lew and a few of his cronies pre-Stakes Day celebrations. 

Lew was desperate to find a good footy club in Melbourne and through friends of friends, was connected to the Uni Blacks. The Blacks were in A-Grade and following a few games with the Phoenix, Lew found himself in Kent Hannam’s reserves side. Great friend and former teammate Scott Dadswell recounts an early impression at this time:

I first met Lewis back in 2015 – he was a long, lean and quiet kid from Warrnambool who had somehow made his way down to the Blacks. I remember his first game playing up in the 2s out at Old Xavs – nothing too memorable here. It was cold, wet and windy and we got a bit of a pasting. We were subsequently served up an almighty spray from then coach Kent Hannam, somewhat customary at the time.

Lew found his sea-legs through 2015 and 2016 and began to blossom under the coaching combination of Cam Roberts and Linc Merlo. He had a strong drive to improve and earn the respect of those around him, he grew in stature on the field and became a mainstay of the reserves side. As his on-field stature grew, as did his gravitas off it. Lew developed strong relationships with people all throughout the Club by investing time and a genuine interest in understanding them. Lewis doesn’t suffer fools, but he gives everyone a chance; at the Blacks he had met his match and found a new home. A footy trip to Adelaide and a summer music festival later and it felt as if he was part of the furniture.

The Blacks had a tough start on-field in 2017 after a strong season in 2016, we are still in A-Grade at this point. Lew continued to impress the coaching group with his improvement as a defender, culminating in his senor debut in Round 10 away to Old Trinity. The Blacks recorded a famous victory at the Daley Oval that day in what proved one of only four wins for the season. Lew handled the occasion brilliantly. We all know how season ’17 ended so enough on that. By the start of the ’18 season Lewis was elevated into the Reserves Leadership Group, Daddsy remarks on Lew’s growth over the period:

I had a couple of years away from the club and returned for season 2018 to find the long, lean and quiet young chap was gone... What had replaced him was a larger-than-life figure that had really ingrained himself within the fabric of the Blacks – this was true in an on-field capacity and it was most definitely true for off the pitch. Lewis was plying his trade as a key backman in the 2s and was earning some real recognition for his on-field play, but it was his quick wit, lust for fun and inclusive nature that saw him becoming one of the real cultural pieces around the club.

Lewis was a key figure in the Reserves grand final teams of 2018 and 2019 and in 2019 was elevated to Captain, testament to his growing role as a leader and personal connections established with his teammates. Through the COVID years of 2020 and 2021 Lewis was a key protagonist in the Club’s efforts to maintain a sense of community, and sanity, and was as glad as anyone in 2022 when we finally had a clear run at it again. Unfortunately, 2022 would end in a third grand final defeat, but Lew again stood tall as a swingman, leader and key figure of the Club. 

Lewis’ 100 games and nine years at the Club are defined by more than the footy stuff, testament to the power of the Blacks. The preamble of this piece referred a moment of serendipity; this was in 2018 up in Byron Bay on the Blacks Footy Trip. On Day-3 at the Beach Hotel during the AFL Grand Final, Lewis met a lovely lady from down in Melbourne, who he instantly fell in love with and would later marry in March 2022. Gina has been a mainstay at Blacks fixtures since her introduction to the Club during that Byron Bay Footy Trip and if her beaming smile hasn’t caught your attention, Lew and Gina’s Burnese Mountain Dog Jeff will surely have – he’s a beautiful boy. It has been a privilege for the Blacks to welcome Gina and her family into the Club.

After several years trying and a couple of failed sales pitches, Lew was finally able to lure younger brother Austin to Melbourne; joining the Blacks for the 2022 season. Lew was desperate for Austin to share in the community that he had yielded so much from and now takes great pride in seeing Austin forge his own path at the Blacks – safe to say he has settled in okay. Family is important to the Steere Clan and Lew’s parents Christine and Wally make the trip across to Melbourne to watch the Blacks as often as possible when Wally’s commitments to Warrnambool FC permit. Both Christine and Wally understand there is more to the Blacks community than the Saturday matchday and have seen firsthand the positive influence now on two of their three boys – Fletcher Steere remains an ongoing recruiting target. Christine and Wally thank the Club for this:

We can’t thank the Club enough for accepting Lewis. Coming from a country town to Melbourne was made much easier because of the opportunities, friendships and support network that embraced him when he became part of the Blacks.

The intertwining of Lew’s 100 games at the Blacks into his life is clear, the relationship has been profoundly positive for both Club and Player. That Lewis would meet Gina on a Footy Trip and their wedding guestlist resemble a who’s who of current, former and future Blackers (Darcy Moore leave your phone on) and their partners largely tells this story.

Above: Lew and Gina on their wedding day in March 2022.

One of the great things about this Football Club is the ability for people to come from anywhere and grow as a person through their time here. Lew’s 100 games exemplify this, and his story role models the power of the Club to his peers. Everyone at the Football Club congratulates Lewis on reaching the heralded 100 game milestone this weekend and is proud of his growth as a footballer and person from when he first lobbed on the door-step as that long, lean and quiet kid. Before we hear from Captain Steere himself for some Q&A – a final musing from Daddsy:

Over his time at the Blacks Lewis has been a great team mate to everyone who steps foot in the Club. He will be the first to pump up the tyres of a new player by giving them a nickname or getting them down to the Clyde for a beer. On the field he is a deceptively smooth mover with some silky skills and a booming kick. He was recently described by a commentator as the ‘full package’, much to his delight. He makes your job easier out on the ground with his directional talk and could always be relied upon to come in to pull you out of a spot of bother (dual yellow cards out at Beaumaris for us that day – I still deny any wrong doing). Congrats on hitting the 100 game mark Lew, you have given a lot to the Blacks over that span. Hope you can snag the win on Saturday and a Classic Clyde ensues.

How did you end up at the Club?

Moved to Melbourne from Warrnambool and wanted a place to play football.  Was introduced to the club through friends of friends and have loved it ever since. 

Favourite player to watch when growing up?

Warren Tredrea 

Who has had the most influence on your career?

My dad 

Thriftiest/biggest tightarse at the Club?

My brother Austin 

Favourite subject at high school?

Cooking 

Favourite teammate?

Josh Steadman (love that guy) but there are a host of others like Steven Flight, Charlie Richardson, Scott Dadswell, Cam Turner, Lach Huntington, Jacob Gardiner, Mitch Rodd

Any interesting pre game routines?

Not really 

If you could teleport anywhere in the world right now and holiday for a week, where would it be?

Italy 

Last book you read?

The millionaire’s factory 

What is your ideal way to spend a Sunday off following a game, before heading back to the grind of a work week during the season? 

Take the dog for a walk, go for breakfast and watch some footy on the afternoon

Last but not least, favourite Blacks’ memory, on or off the field.

Byron Bay footy trip - where I met my now wife