Australian Football

After struggling to make his mark at Port Melbourne, where he managed just three appearances in 1923-4, Jack Perkins crossed to Northcote and went on to become one of the most noteworthy figures in that club’s history. From 1925 until early in the 1933 season he played 111 VFA games for the Brickfielders and kicked 12 goals. A key position player par excellence, he probably played his best football at centre half back, the position he occupied in both the losing grand final of 1930 against Oakleigh, and the winning affair against Coburg two seasons later.

The reason Perkins’ career with Northcote ended after just a single round of the 1933 season was that, following a series of on-field discretions which had brought several suspensions, he had been de-registered by the VFA. It was largely because of this that he sought, and was granted, a transfer to VFL club St Kilda. Already aged 31 when he made his debut for the Saints in round nine 1934 he went on to enjoy a productive, if brief, career at the club. A VFL representative against Bendigo in 1935, he was appointed club skipper in 1936, which proved to be his last season. Over his three year stint he played 39 games and scored 14 goals, and might well have continued his career for longer were it not for the demands of his job as a policeman.  

Author - John Devaney