Australian Football

Having been Camberwell's best player in the 1922 Grand Final win over Moreland in the Melbourne District Association, Jim Lawn was snapped up by Collingwood and debuted in Round 2 of the 1923 VFL season. The Magpies lost to Essendon and Lawn was dropped but he returned to the seniors nine weeks later. The opponent and the result were the same but Lawn kicked a goal and retained his place. Over the remainder of 1923 and the next two seasons, Lawn played 35 games for Collingwood as a follower and forward pocket, kicking 37 goals, including a 'bag' of four twice. 

Lawn was part of the Magpie side that lost the 1925 Grand Final to Geelong, but prior to the 1926 season, Lawn requested a clearance to Central Gippsland Association side Yallourn. The request was denied, with Collingwood insisting he was still a required player. Lawn attempt to circumvent the stand-off by playing a single match for the Brown Coal Juniors, who then granted him a clearance to Yallourn. But after he'd played three matches, all wins, the Association ruled that to be insufficient and docked the club the four points earned in each of Lawn's games. The matter was eventually resolved, the points restored and Lawn went on to captain-coach Yallourn to a premiership.

While Lawn was leading Yallourn to a flag, his original side Camberwell was struggling in its first season as VFA side, winning four of 18 matches to finish ninth of 10 teams. Lawn rejoined Camberwell in 1927 and became a stalwart at centre-half forward for the Tricolours over the next four seasons. Lawn had a year at Yarraville in 1931 but returned 'home' in 1932, seeing out his playing career at his first club. In all he played 106 VFA games for Camberwell, kicking 251 goals, and 16 games in his one season at Yarraville, in which he kicked 44 goals.

Author - Andrew Gigacz