John Thomas Perkins (20 January 1903 – 12 May 1955) was an Australian rules footballer who played with St Kilda in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
Family The son of David Perkins (1871–1939),Deaths: Perkins, The Age, (Wednesday, 22 February 1939), p.1. and Julia Perkins (1876–1957), née Looney,(News Item), The Ovens and Murray Advertiser, (Saturday, 2 December 1899), p.2. John Thomas Perkins was born at Chiltern Valley, Victoria on 20 January 1903.
He married Ivy Best (1903–1977) in 1929.
Football Port Melbourne (VFA) He played several games for Port Melbourne, before transferring to Northcote.
Northcote (VFA) Perkins, a centre half-back,One of Northcote's Policemen: Perkins an Outstanding Defender, The Sporting Globe, (Saturday, 5 July 1930), p.4. spent most of his career at Northcote, in the Victorian Football Association (VFA).The VFA Project.
VFA Tribunal He was de-registered by the VFA in 1933 following incidents in the first round of the VFA season. He had already been given lengthy suspension on three previous occasions for on-field violence: "for four weeks in 1925, for 11 weeks in 1929, and for almost the entire season in 1931".Rough Football: Association Incidents: Player Disqualified for Season, The Argus, (Thursday, 20 April 1933), p.8.
Despite not having been re-registered by the VFA, he made two appearances in 1934 for the Northcote seconds. Following a complaint over his eligibility to play in the seconds, Perkins' case was brought to the Association Permit and Umpire Committee.The Argus, "Perkins Case – Attempted Coercion Alleged", 21 June 1934, p. 16 He was eventually re-registered—and, therefore, allowed to play in the seconds—but, instead, he applied for a transfer to St Kilda.The Argus, "Association Transfers", 2 July 1934, p. 13
St Kilda (VFL) Already 31 years of age, Perkins made his debut for St Kilda, as a ruckman, in the ninth round of the 1934 VFL season.AFL Tables.There's no doubt that his "rugged" approach to football was greatly admired by St Kilda's coach, the volatile Dan Minogue.
He played in a combined Victorian Police Association side, against a combined Western District Football League side, at Hanlon Park on 6 October 1934;Visit of Police Team to Portland, The Portland Guardian, (Monday, 6 August 1934), p.2. and he represented Victoria against Bendigo in 1935.
He was St Kilda's club captain in 1936;Holmesby & Main (2007). however, as a policeman, he was forced to retire after three VFL seasons, following a declaration by the new Police Commissioner, Alexander Duncan, that members of the Victorian police force could not play professional football.The Argus, "Policemen May Not Play Professional Football", 30 March 1937, p. 11.Barclay, Bert, "Perkins Retires from Football", The Herald, (Monday, 29 March 1937), p.16.
VFL Tribunal He was suspended for 4 weeks for striking in September 1934; and was found not guilty of kicking in July 1936.
Death He died at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, in Parkville, Victoria, on 12 May 1955.Ex-football star dies, The Argus, (Friday, 13 May 1957), p.1.Deaths: Perkins, The Argus, (Friday, 13 May 1957), p.11.
Notes
References
"There's Jack Perkins!", THe Herald, (Saturday, 2 May 1936), p.16. (Caricatures of "leading St Kilda players" by Frank Lee), The Argus, (Wednesday, 29 April 1936), p.18. Northcote Association Team, 1929, The Weekly Times, (Saturday, 20 July 1929), p.46.
External links Jack T. Perkins at The VFA Project.