Jack O'Brien
Essendon and Footscray
AFL career
19 games27 goals
- Debut
- R1 1920 v COL1 May 1920
- Most recent
- R5 1928 v RCH19 May 1928
Stats
Bio
Jack O'Brien's career was defined by the turbulent relationship between the VFL and VFA during the 1920s. A dangerous half-forward originally from Eaglehawk, he showed early promise with Essendon in 1920 before defecting to Footscray in the VFA without a clearance. The move proved successful on the field as he starred in two premierships for the Tricolours, but it cost him dearly when Footscray was admitted to the VFL in 1925. The League retrospectively enforced his clearance breach, handing him a severe three-year suspension that forced him to play in the country while his club entered the elite competition. O'Brien finally served his penance to play five games for Footscray in 1928, eventually departing to become a captain-coach and leading goalkicker for Williamstown.
Profile
- Full name
- Jack D. O'Brien
- Born
- 17 Aug 1898
- Died
- 30 May 1966 (aged 67y 286d)
- Birthplace
- Eaglehawk, VIC
- Deathplace
- Heidelberg, VIC
- Height
- 184 cm
- Weight
- 85 kg
Teams
Bio
1 revisionJack O'Brien's career was defined by the turbulent relationship between the VFL and VFA during the 1920s. A dangerous half-forward originally from Eaglehawk, he showed early promise with Essendon in 1920 before defecting to Footscray in the VFA without a clearance. The move proved successful on the field as he starred in two premierships for the Tricolours, but it cost him dearly when Footscray was admitted to the VFL in 1925. The League retrospectively enforced his clearance breach, handing him a severe three-year suspension that forced him to play in the country while his club entered the elite competition. O'Brien finally served his penance to play five games for Footscray in 1928, eventually departing to become a captain-coach and leading goalkicker for Williamstown.