General News
6 June, 2024
Jack of all trades: Jack (John) Worrall - By Brian Lennen
As a kid growing up in Fitzroy, we all dreamt that one day we would be champions, whether it was handball against the factory wall, Wimbledon on the dirt road, test matches with the lamp post wicket or football with rolled newspaper wrapped in...
As a kid growing up in Fitzroy, we all dreamt that one day we would be champions, whether it was handball against the factory wall, Wimbledon on the dirt road, test matches with the lamp post wicket or football with rolled newspaper wrapped in a cut-up rubber tyre. Hitting the post on the full was a goal.
We often played until dark, when we were summoned inside. We feasted on a “jam butty” of bread and dripping.
We regarded the Brunswick Street Oval as a sacred ground, the home of the Buntons, Smallhorns, Abrahams, Gales, Harveys, Potters, Murrays, Hughsons etc, unaware they were once also a kid from the country who not only had these dreams but fulfilled them and more.
From a large family living on the outskirts of Maryborough, a son of a miner emerged... Jack (John) Worrall.
Most of his days began with an eight kilometre walk to school across paddocks and roads with his brothers and sisters.
Jack was an excellent student. Upon graduating with his merit certificate, he was dux of the school. Even as a young man he didn’t suffer fools lightly.
In Jack’s days there wasn’t an organised junior competition. That meant as a boy he faced up to the men (no compensation was made for one’s age).
This didn’t deter young Jack. His talents were soon recognised and South Ballarat signed him up. Immediately he excelled. A Courier reporter marvelled at his balance, evasive skills and his drop kicking with either foot.
Jack was ambitious and wanted a career. Fitzroy offered him a journalistic apprenticeship, which he accepted.
From the start he was a star in the VFL. Fitzroy (an inner city suburb) was a powerhouse, winning successive flags in 1904-05. Jack was generally acknowledged as the player of the colony.
Upon retiring as a player he was made secretary at Carlton. Within a few months he created the role of coach (perhaps the first) and turned Carlton into a champion team, winning three consecutive premierships in 1906, 1907 and 1908.
Despite this success, he was unhappy with the players’ lack of discipline and resigned. He is quoted as saying “beer and liniment don’t mix!”.
After a brief interlude, Jack returned to coaching at Essendon, winning consecutive flags in 1911 and 1912. World War I depleted his playing ranks, losing many of his star players.
Football of course was his winter past-time. In the summer he starred in cricket for Fitzroy, Carlton, Victoria and Australia.
It is very easy to understand the difficulties involved in moving from the VFL to district cricket, Shield for Victoria and test matches for Australia. These demands meant his international cricket was in his latter years (the late 1930s).
For most cricketers it was a costly business. Almost everyone had a second job as they were poorly paid, and footballers were much the same.
A tour of England was a six-month affair. Many had trouble getting leave. Individual sponsorship was basically unheard of and there wasn’t any consideration given to bringing your spouse or children. The playing schedule in England involved continuous test or country matches.
Jack naturally was an all-rounder and was regarded as the finest fieldsman of his time. As was common, he held administrative positions within Victorian cricket, which often brought him into conflict with other officials.
Until recently, he was the longest serving Victorian captain ever, stepping down mid-season after a dispute over an umpire’s non-appointment.
New South Wales wanted to totally control Australian cricket, which Jack wasn’t in agreement with. He never came to terms with NSW and they remained bitter rivals.
On the 1899 tour of England in his 37th year, he put together many fine innings including 104 against Yorkshire, 100 not out against Leicester and 128 versus Sussex.
His greatest innings was in the Leeds test when he scored 76 out of the team’s total of 95.
In a district game for Carlton he made an Australian record 417 not out (in one day)... something straight out of ripping yarns!
Jack wasn’t always easy to get on with, but as a sports journalist at the Argus he was regarded as the doyen of sports reporters, with young journalists hanging on his every word.
He was firstly employed on the staff of The Age, and later under the pen-name of “J.W.” he became the cricket writer for The Australasian.
His two brothers, Logan and Allanson, were also top class cricketers.
Jack’s sporting life was certainly the “stuff of dreams”. He is recognised by the local community with the Central Goldfields sporting medal named in his honour.
As a journalist, he is attributed with the term “Bodyline” to describe the tactics used by English fast bowler Douglas Jardine.
His service to Australian Rules was recognised when he was appointed as a foundation member of the ANFC.
Upon his passing, Jack’s cortege circled Princes Park and the Edinburgh Gardens on the way to his resting place. The flags at the MCG were at half mast.
To quote the official annals of the VFL, “he was a man before his time in the field of mentally preparing players”.