21 Facts About Jock McHale

James Francis "Jock" McHale was an Australian rules football player and coach for the Collingwood Football Club in the Victorian Football League in a marathon career that extended from 1903 to 1949.

The son of an Irish-born policeman, John Francis, and his wife Mary, James Francis McHale was born in Botany, New South Wales, but moved to Melbourne with his family at age 5.

Jock McHale attended St Brigid's primary school in North Fitzroy and St Paul's in Coburg, then moved on to Christian Brothers' College in East Melbourne and completed three years of secondary school.

Jock McHale joined Coburg, at the time a junior club, and came to prominence with his consistency, which led to an invitation to play at Collingwood.

Jock McHale made his league debut in 1903 for Collingwood, playing as a half-back before moving into the centre.

In total, Jock McHale coached 714 VFL games with 467 wins and 10 draws.

Stylistically, Jock McHale was regarded more for his analytics and ability to inspire, rather than as a teacher of skills.

The strength of Collingwood under Jock McHale lay in its evenness and adherence to team discipline.

Jock McHale placed great store in his own ability to pick players' strengths and fitness levels and he would assess his players each week during a traditional Thursday night match-day type training.

Jock McHale rode out the privations of the period and the Magpies re-emerged as a contender in 1945.

However, the club suffered a series of disappointing finals losses, and Jock McHale conceded to age early in 1950 and retired.

Jock McHale stayed intimately involved with the club and helped plan the Magpies' successful campaign in the 1953 Grand Final.

When Collingwood won the match to end a premiership drought of 17 years, Jock McHale was overwhelmed with emotion.

In 1996, Jock McHale was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame, and was elevated to Legend status in 2005.

The AFL has retrospectively made this award to each premiership coach since 1950, the year after Jock McHale retired as a coach.

The AFL officially recognises Jock McHale as having coached 714 games and eight premierships, but it is a matter of some historical controversy that the 1930 VFL grand final and premiership are credited to Jock McHale's statistics.

Jock McHale had coached the team throughout that year and into the week of the grand final, but he was absent on the day of the match, having fallen ill with influenza days before the game.

For many years, Rush was credited with having coached the game; but, after a decision in 2014 by the AFL's historians, Jock McHale is credited as Collingwood's sole coach in the game.

Jock McHale died of a heart attack on 4 October 1953, aged 70, at his home in Coburg, only a week after Collingwood had won its first premiership in seventeen years.

Jock McHale is buried with his wife Violet, son James, and daughter Mary at Coburg Cemetery in Preston, Victoria.

Jock McHale's grave is included in a self-guided heritage walk at the cemetery, and information about his life is available on a sign posted at his graveside.