Jim Grace

Who was Jim Grace?

Jim Grace was an Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy in the club's early years. His younger brother, Mick Grace, played beside him at Fitzroy.

Grace joined Fitzroy in the Victorian Football Association in 1890. He played as a full-forward and dominated Fitzroy's goalkicking during his time at the club, winning the club's leading goalkicker award every year from his debut through until 1896. He was also the league's leading goalkicker in his first two seasons, 1890 and 1891. Grace was part of Fitzroy's 1895 premiership team, the same season that his younger brother Mick joined him at the Maroons.

After Fitzroy broke away from the VFA to join the new Victorian Football League competition, Grace spent a further three seasons at Fitzroy, playing in Fitzroy's 1898 and 1899 premierships. By this stage of his career, he played often as a ruckman, spending less time at full-forward than he had earlier in his career. He retired at the end of 1899.