Australian Football

The name Jack Metherell continues to resonate powerfully in the minds of Tasmanian football supporters of a certain age four and a half decades and more after his greatest exploits. Named in August 2000 as coach of North Hobart's official 'Team of the Century' Metherell oversaw premierships in 1938-9-40-41, 1945 and 1947, as well as state flags on four occasions. Arguably his most auspicious achievement, however, was masterminding, at Launceston in 1960, the first ever win by a Tasmanian state side against the VFL. Metherell's achievement appears all the more noteworthy when you consider that he had been away from coaching for several years prior to the game.

Originally from Perth, Metherell played initially for Subiaco juniors before heading to Victoria in 1932 where he joined his brother Len at Geelong. Quick and agile despite his solid build - a Tasmanian journalist later remarked that he "handles his 13 stone like an acrobat" - he gave the Cats excellent service, mainly as a half forward, in 65 VFL games over the next six seasons. During that time he topped Geelong's goal kicking list on three occasions, and amassed the impressive tally, for a half forward specialist, of 221 goals. His last game in the VFL was the 1937 Grand Final in which Geelong beat Collingwood, and in which Metherell, with four goals from a forward pocket, was one of the best players afield.

In 1938, Metherell was appointed captain-coach of North Hobart, but despite the best efforts on his behalf of Albert Ogilvie, the then Tasmanian premier, Geelong refused to clear him, and he was forced to coach from the sidelines. As noted above, he did this with consummate success, and when he was able to take the field himself in 1939 the team's stocks rose still higher. With 61 goals for the season, Metherell topped the TANFL's goal kicking list in 1939, a feat he duplicated in 1940-41.

The league went into mothballs because of the war in 1942, and when it resumed in 1945 it had been radically reorganised along district lines. North Hobart was still there, however, as was Jack Metherell, who continued as both player and coach. In 1946 he ventured north to take on the captain-coaching role at Cooee, but after just one season he was back 'home' at North Hobart, where he enjoyed one last year as a player before continuing as coach in an off-field capacity.

The lack of activity clearly bothered Metherell, however, for after just one season as non-playing coach he resigned in order to resume playing, albeit at a lower level, in the Southern Districts Football Association. After that, and prior to his appointment as Tasmanian coach in 1960, he enjoyed a stint as a central umpire, which included officiating at several TANFL roster games.

As coach of Tasmania, he oversaw a total of five games, including those at the 1961 Brisbane carnival, for just one win. However, it is doubtful if any win in the history of Tasmanian football has been so important, or so widely heralded, and as long as football is played the name of Jack Metherell should serve as a reminder that the most noteworthy exploits in the game do not uniquely manifest themselves at the so-called 'highest level'.

Author - John Devaney