WHERE ARE THEY NOW

One of five brothers who donned the black and white, JACK DEAN won eight premierships as a player and one as playing coach in a mighty era for North Geelong. The 89-year-old chats to Alex Oates. JD: It always is. Those (flags) were many years ago now. AO: Were you a North Geelong junior? JD: I played in the under-18s, yes. I started there in 1947. I played with Jack Stevens, and Firth Cranstoun was coach back then. AO: And you made your way up the ranks from there? JD: I only played half a season in the seconds. Leo, my eldest brother, was coach at the time and Kevin, Pat and Reg were playing. They dropped Kevin halfway through the season and I took his place and I felt rotten about it … but I didn’t knock it back. AO: I bet. What had Kevin done wrong to get dropped? JD: Well, he had a crook knee and it used to lock on him when he’d run. He’d be chasing the ball and suddenly he’d stop and bang his knee to get the cartilage back in. And they just couldn’t take the chance with him not playing the full game. AO: Fair enough. So how many brothers did you have? JD: Five. Mick played good football, but he played with North Shore. He was a rebel (laughs). All the rest of us played at North Geelong. AO: That must have been a privilege for you to play alongside most of your brothers? JD: It was fantastic. They used to look after me pretty good. AO: And you were lucky enough to win eight premierships as a player and one as playing coach. Is that right? JD: That’s correct. We won the first one in 1949 and we went through to 1956. I think we lost in ’57 and won again in ’58. That was in Evelyn Hurst, the top section. I was 31 or 32 at that stage, so I took over as playing coach of the reserves and we won a premiership. AO: I know it was a twos flag, but that must have rated right up there in regards to satisfaction? JD: Oh yeah, it was great. Not many people win premierships as a playing coach, and premierships are hard to get. They don’t come easy. AO: Now, Gary Birch was telling me that he broke your games record at the club? JD: That’s right. He’s a good bloke, Gary, and I congratulated him. I was lucky to play that many games and I was happy. If he played more, good luck to him. AO: How many games did you finish with? JD: I think it was 308 and I played about 25 in the seconds and juniors. AO: Had your body packed up? JD: Not really. I had a wife and a few kids to look after. And more to come. I finished up with a family of 10. AO: Have any of your boys followed in your footsteps? JD: No. Michael won the best-and-fairest for Leopold under18s when he played, and Gregory played a few games in North’s seconds, but they weren’t really into football. AO: Fair enough. What are some of your career highlights? JD: I played with some great people in Neil and Bruce Tompkins, Clive Waugh, (Ron) “Hank” Clifford, Jack Stevens and big Max Battye. And playing with my brothers was great. AO: Did you have any success individually? Such as bestand-fairests or club championships? JD: I won three best-and-fairests. I won the Hurst best-andfairest (in 1952), a best-and-fairest in the seconds of the Woolworths section and the best-and-fairest for the club. They were highlights because I certainly didn’t think I was a fair player, I was a hard player. AO: Did you get suspended? JD: Never. I only got up before the tribunal once, but I was not guilty. AO: Were you guilty or not? JD: Well, the bloke was giving me a hard time and I did something (about it). I warned him a few times and he just kept at me. He was pinching me and standing on my feet. He was just annoying me. I’d had enough and I told him: “You do it once more, you’re going to cop it” and I landed one on his ear. AO: How did you get away with it? JD: How did I get away with it? Having such a good record. AO: I know you live out at Leopold, but do you get out to North Geelong games much? JD: Not very often. It’s a bit tough for me to get out now. I’m 90 next birthday. I’m still driving, but I went to the reunion the other week and it was great to be out there. AO: What did you love most about North Geelong? Because having chatted to a few gents in your generation, they feel it was a great culture out there in the ’40s and ’50s. JD: It was a great club. We lived in the area, we were on Thompson Rd, and that was our club.