Jack C. Collins

Who was Jack C. Collins?

John Charles "Jack" Collins was an Australian rules footballer who played for the Footscray Football Club.

Collins was recruited to Footscray in 1950 from the Yarraville Football Club, and for the next two years he won the club's best-and-fairest award, the Charles Sutton Medal. In 1953, Collins was suspended following a stoush with Collingwood's Frank Tuck, and as a result, missed the finals of the 1953 VFL season in which Footscray finished third. He made up for in the 1954 season, however, helping the Bulldogs, captained by Charlie Sutton, to their only premiership at the 1954 VFL Grand Final, with Collins kicking a then-record 7 goals on the day. In addition, Collins was named VFL Leading Goalkicker with 84 goals scored in the 1954 season. He received the award again for the 1957 VFL season with a total of 74 goals.

After retiring from football after 154 games and 385 goals, Collins served as a players rep, then secretary, and finally president of the club. Collins was active in moves to save the Footscray Football Club when VFL administrators sought to merge the Club with Fitzroy in 1989. The merger proposals were ultimately unsuccessful.