Jock Spencer

Who was Jock Spencer?

Thomas 'Jock' Spencer was an Australian rules footballer who played for North Melbourne in the Victorian Football League. He was named at full-forward in North Melbourne's official 'Team of the Century'.

Spencer started his league career in 1948 and the following season topped North Melbourne's goalkicking for the first of seven times with 65 goals. A consistent performer up forward, Spencer topped the club's goalkicking every season to 1956 with the exception of 1953 when he only managed to play four games.

He had his most prolific year in front of goal in 1950 when he kicked 86 goals and finished runner up behind John Coleman in the league's goalkicking charts. In round 16 against South Melbourne he kicked a career best 11 goals, the first double figure bag of goals in a game by a North Melbourne player. The record was equaled in 1981 by Malcolm Blight and passed by John Longmire in 1990. That season he was also a member of North Melbourne's inaugural grand final side but his three goals couldn't prevent his side from going down to Essendon. He won the North Melbourne Best and Fairest in 1951.

Spencer regularly represented Victoria at interstate level, most notably at the 1956 Perth Carnival where he was the leading goalkicker with 17 goals.