Australian Football

Con Hickey on the champions

“Where was I born?”, echoed Mr Con Hickey, Secretary of the Australasian Football Council, as we took our seats in a Botany tram to see the Sydney teams in a probables vs. possibles match. “At Timor West in 1866. I joined the Public Service in 1884, and went to Melbourne in 1887. Jack Worrall induced me to play with Fitzroy, and I battled for the Maroons till 1894.” But, you also, won representative honors? “Yes, I played for Victoria against South Australia in 1893.”

So it will be seen that Mr. Hickey was a footballer of undoubted skill. He was elected honorary secretary of Fitzroy in 1893, and year after year went by with the popular Con holding the reins. To indicate to you how firmly he is wedded to the Maroons, I once asked him who were the best players in Victoria, and his reply was: “Now, that's a funny question to ask me, as I can't see a footballer outside of Fitzroy!”

Wonderful is the interest old-timers of Victoria take in their clubs long after their playing days are over. Their enthusiasm never seems to wane and they are invaluable, too, in instructing the young idea.

To Mr Hickey Sydney ‘Australian Rulers’ are indebted for a Victorian premiership match between Collingwood and Fitzroy being played on the Cricket Ground in 1903. It gave a great fillip to the game here, roused the old feeling for it in the breasts of many, and it has been going along fairly smoothly ever since. So even in Sydney devotees of Australian Rules have something to thank Mr Hickey for. Many footballer legislators living in states where the code holds undisputed sway never allow their minds to linger on its vicissitudes in the Rugby strongholds; they seem too parochial.

Fortunately, Mr Hickey is not in that category, and it is well that one who is broad minded was selected to be the first president of the Australasian Football Council in 1905. His occupancy of the presidential chair was so impressive that the members re-elected him in 1908, 1909, and 1910. On the expiration of his term as president he was appointed secretary to the Australasian Football Council, and that position he still occupies.

Best player of all-time

I asked Mr. Hickey his opinion as to view the old-timer compared with the present-day player. “That's a rather difficult question to answer”, he said. “The game has altered to a great extent. What with the abolition of the little mark, which opened up the game, and the introduction of boundary umpires, play is faster all round and is also a better spectacle. Nevertheless, players cannot run any faster now, in fact, I think the old-timers were more enthusiastic specialists in sprinting than the footballers of to-day. And the kicking and marking, both for distance and accuracy are no better than that shown by the players of a quarter-of-a-century ago. Still, there are probably a greater number of good players in each team now than there were in the days; the present-day combinations being composed of men of more even ability.

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The best footballer I have seen? That is a poser! Even if I named twenty I would still be leaving out some with claims for inclusion. But to narrow it to one! Whew! However, I plump for Jack Worrall, and I'll give you my reasons. There was certainly no better kick in his day, either for distance or accuracy. Then he had the faculty which very few footballers possess of being able to kick equally well with either foot. He used whichever foot suited his position, and you know the advantage a player has who is able to do that. No footballer of any period can compare with him in that respect. We have a few fine left-foot kicks, but they are weak with the right, and there are many right-footers who are poor with the left.

Being the rover, when he came out of the ruck, Worrall's ability to use either foot was in valuable. Then, again, he was always amongst the leading goal-kickers of the season, and as a high mark he was one of the best and safest I have seen. And there were some clinking aerial artists in his day, amongst them being Peter Burns, Joe Tankard, Gillum Kerley, Tom Banks, Charlie Pearson and Jack Baker, yet in my opinion, Worrall was the surest and most brilliant of them all. He was an excellent judge of the pace and flight of the ball, and had a very sure pair of hands and a powerful grip.

Worrall was not the speediest man, yet he was by no means slow, being easily amongst the fastest half-dozen in the team. He was very quick off the mark, and this was also shown on the cricket field, as his quickness in starting made him one of the finest fields at mid-off in Australia. Then he was so keen. We were walking along together one day and he said to me, “How many yards in a hundred will you give me Con?” “Oh, about four Jack…I think I could beat you level.” “Well, we had a go, and we finished together. After that, if we were out walking, Jack would often say: That's a fine level patch, Con. What about having a race? And away we would go. Worrall was keenness itself.

Worrall's courage and tenacity were undoubted. He was such an artist with the ball that he paid little attention to his opponent and his play was at all times absolutely fair. I have known many fine players throughout the Commonwealth, but not one who possessed all the qualifications to such a degree as Jack Worrall.

Others who were giants

Other great footballers were Jack Baker, Peter Burns,' George McKenzie, Billy Moore, Tom Banks, Albert Thurgood, Billy Hannaysee, Fred McGinis, Mick Grace, Pat Hickey, Percy Trotter, Henry Young, 'Ampy' Edwards, Charlie Eady, Bunny Daly, Jack Woods, Tracker Forbes, Dick Condon, Dick Lee, and 'Dookie' McKenzie. There are a host of others crowding so closely on the heels of these men that I must stop. Each had a style peculiarly his own, and was effective. And some of them retained their form for many years.

If attendances are a guide, the game is increasing in popularity. A first-class match between two of the cracks teams presents a beautiful moving picture full of incident and excitement.

“No, I could not name the best player out this season. The leaders are a very even lot. Well, I should say McNamara is the best high mark of the present time. He stands over six feet, has a long reach, and therefore possesses many natural advantages. Dick Lee brings down many sensational marks through springing into the air and taking the ball when at the top of his leap. Harvey Kelly, Wally Johnnson and Billy Dick are also clinking marks. Dick, who will captain the Victorian Carnival team, is a nephew of Alick Dick, the well-known Essendon skipper of the nineties. Carnival patrons will have an opportunity of seeing the four of them at work on the Sydney Cricket Ground in Carnival matches. Dave McNamara is undoubtedly the longest kick, but Toohey, Harvey Kelly and Martini are also cracks. By the way, I am glad to say there will be a long-distance kicking contest to decide the Australasian championship.

The Sydney players have improved vastly since I was here a month or two ago. They get to the ball quicker, and bring more determination into their efforts; in fact they surprised me. Billy Strickland and Dick Condon have evidently been doing good work." "They have indeed, I said. "They have expended both time and energy and we are fortunate in having them here.”