BomberBlitz.com Exclusive Interview - Jack Jones

By Koala
BomberBlitz: Tell us about your family – where were you born, and how many siblings did you have?
Jack Jones: Born in Ascot Vale, near the showgrounds, in 1924 – I’ll let you work out how old that makes me! Actually I just had a birthday last Friday.
BB: Happy Birthday!
JJ: There were six of us – 2 brothers and 3 sisters.
BB: And where did you fit in that line?
JJ: Second last.
BB: And did you remain living in Ascot Vale?
JJ: Yes, lived basically one block over from where I was born, until I was married.

BB: What were the conditions like growing up during that era?
JJ: Well, it was during the depression, so it was pretty bad. We were actually fairly lucky, as Dad never lost his job.
BB: What did he do for work?
JJ: He was a printer – managed a printing company, Sands & McDougall. Whenever I get the train into the city I still see the building in Spencer St.

BB: Was sport always a big part of your life? Did any of your children play?
JJ: Yes, it was, and I played under 18’s for YCW at Ascot Vale until I went into service. My son Peter played for the Hawthorn 2nds; Tony also played for the Hawthorn 2nds, and was CHF for the Vic Country side, playing alongside players like Peter Dean, Danny Frawley and Tom Alvin, and he made it into the Goulburn Valley 60 year team. John was a Victorian Amateur and All Australian captain. And my daughter Anne Marie was a very good netballer.

BB: Did you support Essendon as a kid?
JJ: nods always Essendon. Dick Reynolds was my hero.

BB: Active service – How old were you? Where did you serve?
JJ: People were called up at 18, and although I was an apprentice butcher and could have made the decision not to go, I joined at 18, in 1942. I was part of the 24th Infantry Battalion, and service in New Guinea – Bougainville. Being in the infantry, we were in the front line action, so… we left a lot of mates there.
After the war, there weren’t too many ships to get us back home, and there was a three month wait, so they built an oval and we formed football teams to keep us occupied. I was picked in the Victorian side, and we played against a team made up of the rest of the states.

BB: Following the war, you debuted in 1946. What do you recall about your first game for Essendon?
JJ: I arrived home from the war, and there were three letters waiting for me, from Williamstown, Brunswick and Essendon. I went and saw Ron Todd at Williamstown, and Ron Baggott at Brunswick, but decided to start training with Essendon. My first game with the firsts was Easter Saturday – it was a split round – and it was against Footscray at the Western Oval. I remember some of the senior players had been telling me at the team meeting on the Thursday that I was in, and then the team was announced, and sure enough, I was. I didn’t end up ever playing a game for the seconds – was in the seniors from the start.
BB: And did we win that game?
JJ: No, actually! We got beaten, but only by a small margin.
Editors note – small margin is very correct – on looking it up, we only lost by 2 points!

BB: Over the next nine seasons you played in 175 games, including seven grand finals and three premierships. Tell us more about the grand finals.
JJ: Well, we won a premiership that first year, 1946. The next year, we lost to Carlton by one point. 1948 was the draw – we kicked 7 27 to 10 9, with Bill Brittingham kicking 2 12 – then lost the replay. 1949 and 1950 we won, then 1951 was when we lost John Coleman to suspension, and lost by 11 points to Geelong. Dick Reynolds sat on the bench for basically the whole game and came on for about 10 minutes in the last quarter, which brought up game 320 for him. There were five of us that played in all of those grand finals – Reynolds, Hutchy, myself, Gardiner and Brittingham.
BB: I’ve wanted to find out – I heard that during that drawn grand final, Brittingham went to Dick at half time and asked to be moved from full forward, saying that his eye just wasn’t in that day, but Dick didn’t want to hurt his feelings so left him there!
JJ: I have also heard that story, but I didn’t personally overhear it said that day, so I’m not sure if it’s correct or not. Bill wasn’t the only inaccurate one though; there were a lot of points kicked that day!
BB: So he was Essendon’s full forward until Coleman arrived, then he changed to full back?
JJ: Yes, and he was a great player at both ends.

BB: Tell us a bit about your game. Which position did you prefer to play in?
JJ: I was a utility player – played HFF most of the time, and into the ruck for maybe 10 mins a quarter. Other positions as well as needed – if John was out, I went into full forward, or to CHB or CHF if required.

BB: Nowadays football is a full time occupation. What was the average weekly routine for a footballer then – what sort of training was undertaken?
JJ: It was two nights a week – and that was the same for every club. We’d start training in March each year. But remember, we all had full time jobs as well, so while we wouldn’t have been in the same shape as the players now with all the assistance they have, we were all fairly fit from working. Then one coach said he wanted to start training earlier – in February – and slowly things changed over time.

BB: What sort of money would the average player have been on?
JJ: In 1946 it was 3 pounds per game, from which we paid 5 shillings in tax. Now my weekly wage then was 6 pounds 6, so it was nearly half a week’s wages. If we played in a final, it was 10 pounds per game.
BB: Would that have been the average wage – 6 pounds 6?
JJ: Yes, probably would have been.
BB: Were there any other payments?
JJ: There was the provident fund. Plus, there were some supporters that would shake your hand after a game, and you’d find a 10 or 20 pound note left there. After the 48 drawn grand final, my wife asked me if I thought I’d get a game the next week, and I opened my hand to show her a 20 pound note, so she knew I had a fairly decent game! As it turned out, I got the award for best on ground that day – was given a silver cake stand, one of the ones with the handle that screws into the middle, engraved with my name and the date. Still have the cake stand, was talking to my son about it the other night!

BB: Tell us about match days. What time did you turn up?
JJ: I usually got there about an hour, three quarters of an hour before the game. Others were about the same, but depending on the trains etc, sometimes you’d get there late – one time we were running out onto the ground against Hawthorn and as we ran out through the race, Hutchy was just running in! He still made it out onto the ground before the whistle blew for the start of the game – another player, they might have put the emergency on, but not for him!
BB: What was the warm up/cool down routine?
JJ: There really wasn’t one. There was no warm up – no kicking, stretching, anything – the rooms used to be full of people before a game so there wouldn’t have been the space anyway.
BB: How many of the players would have had a cigarette at half time?
JJ: Probably….. about 70%. It was just what was done back then.
BB: Did you have any routines or superstitions before a game? What about your team mates?
JJ: shakes head no, not really. A couple would have a drink!

BB: I saw a photo on the Essendon website of the players standing in front of a bus, ready to go on a trip to Queensland, in 1949. Did you take part in that trip? What other sorts of trips did the players participate in?
JJ: Yes, I did! There were a few different trips. Actually I was in Perth earlier this year, and thought I’d re-visit Subiaco – the last time I was there it only had one stand, and now it’s got four. Turns out it was a closed session that day, but after giving my name at the gate, I ended up getting in, and shown all around the ground. Caught up with Harves and MJ, and chatted with the commissioner in his office for a while. Not bad after being initially told that it was a closed session! Essendon were due to play Fremantle a fortnight later, and I asked Harves if I’d be able to get in again then, but he just grinned!

BB: Was there any particular player you disliked playing against?
JJ: No, not really

BB: Dick Reynolds – you not only played alongside him, he was also your coach. Tell us a bit about your experiences with him.
JJ: Well like I said, he was my hero. We used to go up to him as kids to ask him for his autograph, calling him Mr Reynolds. You can imagine my reaction to have a letter from him when I got back from the war – I jumped so high I nearly hit the ceiling. And they were 14 foot ceilings in Ascot Vale back then! Dick… Well, he was Essendon. He was like Bradman was to the cricket. I idolised him, and it was incredible to end up not only playing beside him but also to become good friends with him. He was just a great man – he treated everyone equally. He would say, it didn’t matter if someone was black, white or brindle – we were all there to play football.
BB: Was there anyone that didn’t respond to his coaching methods?
JJ: If there was trouble, they didn’t show it.

BB: You also played alongside Bill Hutchison and John Coleman, among other greats. Who would you consider to be the best player from your era?
JJ: The best I’ve ever seen – would be Ted Whitten. He could play anywhere up the spine, and get BOG every game. Skilton, Bunton, also very good. From Essendon – well, Hutchy, and Reynolds – both great. Coleman was also fantastic. You know, I was this far away indicates the distance across our table when he did his knee. The ball was kicked across from the wing, and I thought it was to me, so I started making position. Coleman – well, he was the king of full forward, so it was his call – said “Leave it, Jonah”, so I left it. Up he went, down he came, the knee went….. and he didn’t play again.

BB: Who do you think could have made the transition to the game of today?
JJ: Oh, probably anyone could have, because they’d be training differently, have all the equipment and knowledge from today. The grounds are better, there’s more money. We’ve got, what, eight coaches now? Sheedy was the first full time coach. Nowadays you might have players that stay out late – we didn’t really have night clubs back then – we’d have a few players that liked a drink, but they weren’t out til all hours. We also married younger – now you’ve got women in their forties having their first baby. It’s so difficult to compare players because everything is so different. You know, Hird – he was also an exceptional player – it’s so hard to say that Reynolds was better than Hird, because they played in such different times. Many of the players were just as quick as those today – probably one of the main differences is that when we took a mark, we’d go back and take a kick – today they play on more. But the players I played with, we had some very good players, I was lucky to have played during that time.
BB: Do you know, I read a stat yesterday, and it’s something like if you look a list of our top 42 number of games played, 40 of those players have played in a premiership side. That’s a pretty incredible figure. It makes me so proud to support such a great club.
JJ: There’s only been two decades in which we haven’t won a premiership – the seventies and the thirties. You only have to look at the Captain’s function we met at, and the quality of players we’ve had as captains – the Danihers, Bomber Thompson, Kenny Fletcher, Lloyd, Watson, McKenzie, Hird, Moss, Tuddenham, O’Donnell, Madden – it’s no wonder we’ve had the success we’ve had.

BB: If you could create an Essendon team consisting of players from any era, who would be your first selections?
JJ: It would be from those four I’ve mentioned – Reynolds, Coleman, Hird, and Hutchy – in any order! All of them were great.

BB: What path did you take following your retirement?
JJ: I went to Albury and coached there. Made the team of the century, as captain and CHF. Some of my team mates in the team of the century were players like Weiderman, Bunton and Lance Mann – he was a Stawell Gift winner. I couldn’t believe it – me, captain to a player like Haydn Bunton!
BB: So you were playing coach of Albury?
JJ: Yes, playing coach. We won one premiership, and lost one by a point the following year. The next year we finished third but I was kicked in the cheek and missed 12 weeks – a similar injury to Hirdy’s. After five years at Albury, I went to Kergunyah, in the Tallangatta district league, as non-playing coach for two years, then umpired for two seasons for the Albury district league. So was up there for nine years altogether, then came back to Melbourne, and followed my sons football, and my daughters netball.

BB: How did the Windy Hill tours come about?
JJ: Well, the Hall of Fame opened 12 years ago, and I asked Barb Cullen, the curator, if I could give her a hand. So I worked in the Hall of Fame, and Barb asked if I’d start doing the tours, and that was 11 and a half years ago! I also help out as a host at the Chairmans Dinners at our home games.

BB: You were inducted into the 200 club last year, even though you had played 175 games, as the AFL recognized that had you not undertaken active service, and given your good playing record, it could be reasonably expected that you would have reached 200 games.
JJ: It was myself, Joe Selwood – he was 96 – and Wayne Closter, both from Geelong, and all of us received honourary memberships given that had circumstances been otherwise, we probably would have made it to 200.

BB: Do you think the players have it easier today with the game being played in colour?!
JJ: laughs No comment!

BB: What’s your favourite and least favourite aspect of modern football to watch?
JJ: Least favourite – is the kicking backwards. Favourite – I like that so many players can use either side of their bodies well – a lot can hit a target well.

BB: Who is your current favourite player to watch at a) Essendon and b) AFL?
JJ: In the AFL, it would be Andrew McLeod, followed by Judd. At Essendon – Fletcher.

BB: Do any of the current players remind you of your own playing style?
JJ: thinks Probably Scott Lucas – back when he first arrived at the club. Apart from him being a left footer and me a right!

BB: What do you think of the hands touching the back rule?
JJ: Terrible!

BB: What does Anzac Day mean to you?
JJ: Everything. Having been in the services…. Like I said, we left a lot of mates there. It really hits you… we were only 19 or 20 while there, and saw so many wounded and killed.

BB: What’s the oddest question you’ve been asked on a Windy Hill tour? And what was your answer?
JJ: Over at the side of the oval there was a section of trees – next to the Croquet Club – which needed to be dug up to put in the practice nets for the cricket club. A lot of people had their urns buried underneath those trees, and the club had to contact all the families. One woman on a tour one day asked if there were many bones dug up – I had to assure her, no, only urns!

BB: If a film was made about your life, who would you like to play the lead role?
JJ: Oh…. I really don’t know!
BB: Who would you say your favourite actor would be?
JJ: Cary Grant
BB: And what would the Jack Jones theme song be?
JJ: laughs no, you’ve got me there too!
BB: What sort of music do you like?
JJ: All sorts of music… I really like Andre Rieu – have about six of his cd’s – we’re going to see him on Saturday.

BB: Do you think porcupines are underrated as a species?
JJ: laughing again forget it!!

BB: What was the last book you read? Do you usually have a book on the go?
JJ: I don’t read a lot, but I just finished Sheedy’s new book
BB: Did you enjoy it?
JJ: yes, it was a really good read

BB: If you could hold a Guinness World Record, what would it be for?
JJ: It would be for swimming underwater…. To England! One of my sons friends said that’s what he’d done, swum the English Channel underwater!

BB: Do you think milk should be added to instant coffee prior to boiling water or after?
JJ: I can answer that question very easily – I have never had a cup of coffee! Not ever.

BB: I’m very impressed! And finally – very importantly – are you a cinnamon, iced or jam centered type donut man?
JJ: grins I’ll have bread, butter and jam!
BB: No donuts?!
JJ: No donuts!
BB: laughing thanks very much Jack!
JJ: You’re welcome