John S. Gill

Who was John S. Gill?

John Somers Gill was an Australian rules footballer who played with Essendon in the VFL from 1951 to 1957.

A highly talented ruckman with a strong overhead mark, and a delightfully graceful and accurate "palm", he walked straight into the Essendon senior team at 19 years of age.

Recruited from the Longerenong Agricultural College, in Horsham, Victoria, he made his debut, two days after his nineteenth birthday, for Essendon Firsts in the first home-and-away match of the 1951 season, on 21 April 1951, when Essendon beat Melbourne 13.8 to 10.16 at Windy Hill.

He won the Crichton Medal in 1954, and finished third in the season's Brownlow Medal count.

He represented Victoria in 1955 and 1957.

Having missed the 1951 Grand Final due to illness, he played in his first grand final in 1957 but was on the losing side. It turned out to be his last game of football as he retired at the age of just 25 to concentrate on his business career.

Fans were shocked at his decision to retire, because he seemed to be just starting to achieve his outstanding potential, and he seemed destined to become one of the all-time great ruckmen.