Australian Football

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Key Facts

Full name
James McCorkell

Known as
Jock McCorkell

Born
2 July 1918

Died
29 March 1987 (aged 68)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 21y 300d
Last game: 34y 318d

Height and weight
Height: 183 cm
Weight: 86 kg

Senior clubs
North Melbourne

Jumper numbers
North Melbourne: 14, 12, 18

Jock McCorkell

Advanced stats
ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
North MelbourneV/AFL1940-1942, 1946-195316750.0346%———14
Total1940-1942, 1946-195316750.0346%———14

AFL: 4,774th player to appear, 1,030th most games played, 6,236th most goals kickedNorth Melbourne: 262nd player to appear, 47th most games played, 470th most goals kicked

Jock McCorkell debuted with North Melbourne in 1940, played for three seasons, and then missed the next three seasons whilst on military service. When he resumed in 1946 he was better than ever. Playing almost exclusively at full back he was athletic, pacy, ultra reliable and blessed with excellent skills of anticipation. His battles with legendary full forward John Coleman of Essendon were almost invariably enticing affairs, with the honours overall about even.

When McCorkell retired as a player in 1953 aged 35 he had played 167 VFL games and kicked five goals. Had he not missed three years because of wartime obligations his tally of games might easily have exceeded 200. A club best and fairest winner in 1952, one surmises that he must have come close to inclusion at full back in North Melbourne’s official ‘Team of the Century’. In 1954-5 he coached the shinboners with scant success.

Author - John Devaney

Sources

Full Points Publications

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Footnotes

* Behinds calculated from the 1965 season on.
+ Score at the end of extra time.