It is with great sorrow the members of the
Premiership Players Club acknowledge the passing of
our President, Jack Collins, in the early hours of
Sunday morning, 6 July.
As a founding member of the Premiership Players
Club, Jack’s enthusiasm for the growth of the club
was unsurpassed. He was instrumental in organising
the many events that the Premiership Players Club
has hosted from Golf Days, retirement home visits,
the induction of the premiership teams into the
Premiership Players Club as well as the Annual Stamp
Launch of which he presided over two weeks ago. On
Sunday, Jack was to attend the Pleasant Sunday
Morning, which he had organised for the Premiership
Players to acknowledge their contribution to the
game in the 150th year of VFL/AFL. As Jack would
have loved, the ‘show went on’ and he was well
remembered by all those who attended.
Jack’s is famously remembered for kicking 7 goals in
the 1954 Footscray Premiership side and dominated
the final. He played 154 games with Footscray from
1950-58 after being recruited from local VFA club
Yarraville. Jack won the Best and Fairest Award in
1951 and 52, was the club’s leading goalkicker five
times (1953, 1954, 1955, 1957 and 1958). He was then
Secretary of the club from 1959-66 and then
President from 1967 to 73 and was a key figure in
Footscray’s history.
The Premiership Players Club offers their sincere
condolences to his wife Desiree, and children John,
Jennifer and Jane. He will be remembered as a great
proponent of the AFL with his unbridled passion for
all things football, as well as his generous nature
and sense of enthusiasm. Jack will be sorely missed
by all those that have had the honour of meeting or
working with him.
Please forward any tributes you may have to
Stephanie.Condon@team.telstra.com
JACK Collins remains larger than life even in death.
The champion full-forward and hero of Footscray's
history-making 1954 premiership was a towering
figure in AFL circles right up until his sudden
death at age 78 at his Werribee home on Sunday.
Proudly serving as president of the AFL Life
Members' Association and AFL Premiership Players'
Club, Jack's passion and dedication for the game
that made him a household name was as strong as
ever.
The great man enjoyed the company of longtime footy
friends like David Cloke, Hugh Mitchell, John
Elliott, Colin Youren and Brian Dixon at a special
dinner he'd organised in the city late last month.
He as especially chuffed to catch up with
premiership teammates Jim Gallagher and Angus Abbey.
In terms of versatility, Jack is probably rivalled
only by the greatest of them all `Mr Football' Ted
Whitten senior and Chris Grant in the Bulldogs' rich
history.
He starred at centre half-back to win best and
fairest awards in '51 and '52 before being switched
to the forward-line with outstanding results. Jack
topped the then VFL's goalkicking in '54 and '57
(winning Footscray's on five occasions).
Fittingly, the champ in the No. 2 guernsey saved his
best for the biggest game of his star-studded
career. He kicked seven goals as the Bulldogs
demolished Melbourne _ 15.12 (102) to 7.9 (51) in
the grand final in '54.
Jack played 154 games and kicked 383 goals from `50
to `58 before retiring at the age of 28 to serve as
club secretary during which time he saved the
Bulldogs from the threat of extinction by launching
a social club.
Jack Collins was one of my best buddies and I'm
proud he considered me like a son.
I can't believe Jack has kicked his last goal.
His memory will live on.
Steven Milne
Jack Collins is a name that has gone down in the
annuals at Whitten Oval. A major force in the’54
Premiership, his kicking prowess and ability to slot
it in between the goal posts saw him hold the
goal-kicking record five times between 1953-58.
Jack begin his football career by pulling on the
red, white and blue in 1950. Playing a handful of
games a centre half-back in his debut, he was
eventually moved to the forward line where he really
shone. Jack constantly displayed his high marking
ability and goal-kicking talent, but at no time more
than in the 1954 Grand Final where he bagged seven
goals and capped a 51 point victory to win the
premiership against Melbourne.
It would seem that Footscray’s colours always flowed
through his veins, as after retirement Jack stayed
with the Bulldogs first serving as Secretary, then
as president between 1967-73, where he oversaw such
stars of the game including George Bisset, Bernie
Quinlan, and ‘Mr. Football’ himself E.J Whitten.
Currently Jack serves as President of the AFL
Premiership Players Group.
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