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Full name
John Heathcote
Known as
John Heathcote
Born
23 January 1934
Died
23 June 2008 (aged 74)
Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 24y 93d
Last game: 28y 200d
Height and weight
Height: 170 cm
Weight: 72 kg
Senior clubs
Carlton
Jumper numbers
Carlton: 37
Club | League | Career span | Games | Goals | Avg | Win % | AKI | AHB | AMK | BV |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Carlton | V/AFL | 1958-1962 | 69 | 70 | 1.01 | 57% | — | — | — | 12 |
Total | 1958-1962 | 69 | 70 | 1.01 | 57% | — | — | — | 12 |
AFL: 6,915th player to appear, 3,430th most games played, 1,547th most goals kickedCarlton: 716th player to appear, 259th most games played, 134th most goals kicked
John Heathcote was a lively rover of stocky build with a keen goal sense who commenced his senior football career with Penguin in 1953 before crossing to Ulverstone two years later. The Ulverstone coach at the time was Tasmanian football icon and champion rover Arthur Hodgson who believed that Heathcote had what it took to succeed at the game’s top level. A former Carlton player and best and fairest winner, Hodgson contacted the Blues to give them the heads up and Heathcote, having won the Robins’ 1957 best and fairest award, was invited to Melbourne to try out with the club in 1958.
The Blues brains trust liked what they saw and Heathcote went on to enjoy a five season, 69 game VFL career, over the course of which he registered seventeen goals. He was the Blues’ top goal kicker in 1958, albeit with the rather meagre tally of just 19 goals. Admittedly though this was a particularly low scoring era.
The 1963 season saw John Heathcote back in Tasmania where he assumed the captain-coaching reins at Burnie and enjoyed immediate success, overseeing the ‘double’ of NWFU and state premierships. Previously, during his time with Ulverstone, he had enjoyed NWFU flag success on three occasions and had also participated in the 1957 state title triumph.
In 2013 John Heathcote was inducted into the AFL Tasmania Hall of Fame.
Author - John Devaney