Australian Football

Jack Sexton's premature death in 1935, aged just 35, robbed the football world of a fine player. Beginning with Glenelg in 1925 he overcame a somewhat tardy start to develop into one of the most consistent centremen in the state. In 1929 he left the Bays after a dispute over broken time payments, and it was at his subsequent club, West Adelaide, that he achieved his greatest distinction, winning the 1931 Magarey Medal. The following year saw him recruited by Fitzroy, where he spent the ensuing three seasons, captaining the club for part of the 1932 and '33 seasons. 

He returned to Adelaide in 1935 and assumed the role of captain-coach at Norwood, only for a severe attack of pleurisy to force him to resign just a few games into the season. Sexton never recovered, although his battle against the disease was not ultimately lost until 26 October. Throughout his career he had frequently been beset by illness and injury, and this had restricted his league appearances to just 102 in 11 seasons, comprising 47 with Glenelg, 20 with West Adelaide, 29 for Fitzroy, and half a dozen with the Redlegs. He also represented South Australia twice. 

Thirty five years after his death, Jack Sexton's Magarey Medal was stolen from the home of his son; however, after an appeal in the daily papers it was soon afterwards recovered.

Author - John Devaney