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Jack Sheedy (Australian rules footballer)
Encyclopedia
John Cameron "Jack" Sheedy (born 28 September 1926) is a former Australian rules football
er and coach. He played for and in the Western Australian National Football League (WANFL) and in the Victorian Football League
(VFL). Sheedy is considered one of the greatest ever footballers from Western Australia, and is a member of both the Australian
and West Australian Football Halls of Fame
. Overall, he played 360 senior football matches from 1946 to 1962, kicking 528 goals, and coached 272 games, with a winning percentage
of 65%.
and Fremantle Boys' School in Fremantle
, captaining both schools' football teams. He also led the school's batting averages at cricket
, and later played First Grade cricket
for the Fremantle Cricket Club
in the Western Australian Grade Cricket
competition. After leaving school, he played for Fremantle in the Fremantle Ex-Scholars competition, before making his debut for East Fremantle in the age-restricted WANFL competition in 1942. He won the Lynn Medal as the club's best and fairest
in 1943, and played in East Fremantle's premiership win over . He enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy
in 1944, after his 18th birthday, and was immediately posted to Sydney
. He arrived in Sydney in time to play in Sydney Naval's premiership win in the New South Wales Australian National Football League
(NSWANFL). He had kicked the winning goal in the preliminary final against Newtown the previous week with less than three minutes remaining in the match. He was posted to Melbourne
in 1945, and was signed by in the Victorian Football League
(VFL), where he played six games, kicking seven goals. Sheedy's unit went back to Sydney in 1946, where he continued playing with Sydney Naval, mainly as a centre. He kicked 12 goals in three rounds before he returned to Western Australia.
. In 2004 he was inducted to the West Australian Football Hall of Fame
and in 2005 he was elevated to Legend Status.
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 and coach. He played for and in the Western Australian National Football League (WANFL) and in the Victorian 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...
(VFL). Sheedy is considered one of the greatest ever footballers from Western Australia, and is a member of both the Australian
Australian Football Hall of Fame
The Australian Football Hall of Fame was established in 1996, the Centenary year of the Australian Football League, to help recognise the contributions made to the sport of Australian rules football by players, umpires, media personalities, coaches and administrators. It was initially established...
and West Australian Football Halls of Fame
West Australian Football Hall of Fame
The West Australian Football Hall of Fame was created in 2002 to recognise and enshrine those who have made a significant contribution to Australian rules football in Western Australia...
. Overall, he played 360 senior football matches from 1946 to 1962, kicking 528 goals, and coached 272 games, with a winning percentage
Winning percentage
In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. It is defined as wins divided by wins plus losses . Ties count as a ½ loss and a ½ win...
of 65%.
Early career and naval service
The son of A. F. "Barney" Sheedy, a former East Fremantle player and WAFL interstate representative, Sheedy attended Richmond State School in East FremantleEast Fremantle, Western Australia
The Town of East Fremantle is a Local Government Area in the southern suburbs of the Western Australian capital city of Perth, located immediately northeast of the port city of Fremantle and about southwest of Perth's central business district...
and Fremantle Boys' School in Fremantle
Fremantle
Freemantle is a suburb of Southampton in England.Fremantle or Freemantle may also refer to:- Places :* Fremantle, the port city to the capital Perth, Western Australia...
, captaining both schools' football teams. He also led the school's batting averages at cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
, and later played First Grade cricket
Grade cricket
Grade cricket is the name of the senior inter-club or district cricket competitions in each of the Australian states. The term may refer to:*Brisbane Grade Cricket *South Australian Grade Cricket League*Sydney Grade Cricket...
for the Fremantle Cricket Club
Fremantle District Cricket Club
Fremantle District Cricket Club is a cricket club which competes in the Western Australian Grade Cricket competition, the highest level of club cricket in Western Australia.-History:...
in the Western Australian Grade Cricket
Western Australian Grade Cricket
Grade Cricket in Western Australia refers to the semi-professional cricket league played at a level below the first-class Western Warriors and colts teams. The competition is administered by the Western Australian Cricket Association...
competition. After leaving school, he played for Fremantle in the Fremantle Ex-Scholars competition, before making his debut for East Fremantle in the age-restricted WANFL competition in 1942. He won the Lynn Medal as the club's 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...
in 1943, and played in East Fremantle's premiership win over . He enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
in 1944, after his 18th birthday, and was immediately posted to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. He arrived in Sydney in time to play in Sydney Naval's premiership win in the New South Wales Australian National Football League
Sydney AFL
The "AFL Sydney" is an Australian rules football League, based in metropolitan Sydney, Australia.The AFL Sydney competition comprises 21 clubs playing across 5 senior divisions with 2 under 18 competitions.-History:...
(NSWANFL). He had kicked the winning goal in the preliminary final against Newtown the previous week with less than three minutes remaining in the match. He was posted to Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
in 1945, and was signed by in the Victorian 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...
(VFL), where he played six games, kicking seven goals. Sheedy's unit went back to Sydney in 1946, where he continued playing with Sydney Naval, mainly as a centre. He kicked 12 goals in three rounds before he returned to Western Australia.
Transfer to East Perth
Sheedy transferred to for the 1956 season, where he was immediately appointed captain-coach of the club.Coaching career
Sheedy served as captain-coach of East Perth from 1956 to 1961, and as non-playing coach from 1962 to 1964, with one final season in 1969.Honours
In 2001 Sheedy was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of FameAustralian Football Hall of Fame
The Australian Football Hall of Fame was established in 1996, the Centenary year of the Australian Football League, to help recognise the contributions made to the sport of Australian rules football by players, umpires, media personalities, coaches and administrators. It was initially established...
. In 2004 he was inducted to the West Australian Football Hall of Fame
West Australian Football Hall of Fame
The West Australian Football Hall of Fame was created in 2002 to recognise and enshrine those who have made a significant contribution to Australian rules football in Western Australia...
and in 2005 he was elevated to Legend Status.