Jim Abernethy
Encyclopedia
Jim Abernethy was a half back flanker who played for the Melbourne Football Club
after being schooled at Wesley College
. He played 130 games for Melbourne between 1923–24 and 1926–32. He kicked 61 goals.
Abernethy was originally from Shepparton
and attended boarding school
at Wesley. Abernethy had a successful junior career for Wesley, being the champion player of the Associated Public Schools of Victoria
. As such he attracted interest from many VFL clubs. Because he had been living in St Kilda, the St Kilda claimed that Abernethy was in their zone. The Demons, however, argued that he technically still lived with his parents in Shepparton. The VFL committee ended up siding with Melbourne's point of view and the Demons signed Abernethy.
Abernethy played for Melbourne in 1923 and 1924, but moved back to Shepparton in 1925, to further his law career. Abernethy came back to play for Melbourne the next season and was a part of their premiership team
. He continued to play for the Demons until his retirement in 1932.
Abernethy was made a life member of the Melbourne Football Club in 1961. In 2008, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Melbourne Football Club's founding, the Demons named their "150 greatest heroes", of which Abernethy was one.
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
after being schooled at Wesley College
Wesley College, Melbourne
Wesley College, Melbourne is an independent, co-educational, Christian day school in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Established in 1866, the college is a school of the Uniting Church in Australia. Wesley is the largest school in Australia by enrolment, with 3,511 students and 564 full-time staff...
. He played 130 games for Melbourne between 1923–24 and 1926–32. He kicked 61 goals.
Abernethy was originally from Shepparton
Shepparton, Victoria
Shepparton is a city located on the floodplain of the Goulburn River in the north east of Victoria, Australia approximately north-east of Melbourne. It is the fifth largest city in Victoria, Australia. The estimated population of Shepparton's statistical area is 48,926.It began as a sheep station...
and attended boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
at Wesley. Abernethy had a successful junior career for Wesley, being the champion player of the Associated Public Schools of Victoria
Associated Public Schools of Victoria
The Associated Public Schools of Victoria are a group of eleven elite independent schools in Victoria, Australia, similar to the Athletic Association of the Great Public Schools of New South Wales in New South Wales....
. As such he attracted interest from many VFL clubs. Because he had been living in St Kilda, the St Kilda claimed that Abernethy was in their zone. The Demons, however, argued that he technically still lived with his parents in Shepparton. The VFL committee ended up siding with Melbourne's point of view and the Demons signed Abernethy.
Abernethy played for Melbourne in 1923 and 1924, but moved back to Shepparton in 1925, to further his law career. Abernethy came back to play for Melbourne the next season and was a part of their premiership team
1926 VFL Grand Final
The 1926 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Melbourne Football Club and Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 9 October 1926. It was the 30th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine...
. He continued to play for the Demons until his retirement in 1932.
Abernethy was made a life member of the Melbourne Football Club in 1961. In 2008, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Melbourne Football Club's founding, the Demons named their "150 greatest heroes", of which Abernethy was one.