Australian Football

One of only 13 players to have played over 350 VFL/AFL games, John Blakey is perhaps the most under-rated of that elite group. Recruited from East Doncaster, Blakey debuted for Fitzroy in 1985, and went on to be used in a variety of midfield positions, as he gave great service to the Lions over 135 games up until 1992. He crossed to North Melbourne in 1993 and became a club stalwart, rarely playing a bad game. He was a member of the 1996 and 1999 premiership sides and went on to play a further 224 games (kicking 72 goals) for North until he retired in 2002 at 36 years of age.

Blakely represented Victoria in State of Origin football in 1998. Following his retirement Blakey became the assistant coach at the Brisbane Lions, and coached the team in the absence of Leigh Matthews (whose mother had died) for one game in Round 18, 2005. He joined the Sydney Swans' coaching staff in 2006 and his since served under both Paul Roos and John Longmire, a period which included the premiership year of 2012.

Having watched son Nick beginning his AFL career as a Swan in 2019-20, the elder Blakey returned to North Melbourne to take on the role of Senior Assistant Coach in 2021.

Author - Andrew Gigacz