Allan Jeans
Encyclopedia
Allan Jeans was an Australian rules football
er and coach. He was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame
at its inception in 1996. Jeans was known for his oral motivation skills as a coach and led St Kilda and Hawthorn
to a total of four premierships.
, in 1965 and 1966, including the Saints' first (and only) VFL
premiership in 1966. He took the Saints to another grand final appearance in 1971. Claiming "burn-out" he retired from coaching the team at the end of 1976.
In 1981 Jeans revived his coaching career when he was appointed coach for the Hawthorn Football Club
. He coached them until 1990 (excepting a year off in 1988 due to brain injury) establishing them as the dominant VFL team of the 1980s with premierships in 1983, 1986, 1988 and 1989 from seven consecutive grand finals.
Finally, he had a short-lived one year stint at Richmond
in 1992, winning only five out of 22 games.
, became an avid social lawn bowls player at Cheltenham Lawn Bowls Club
. His most recent public appearance was during the post-match presentations at the 2006 AFL Grand Final
. He died following years of ill-health on 12 July 2011.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er and coach. He was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame
Australian Football Hall of Fame
The Australian Football Hall of Fame was established in 1996, the Centenary year of the Australian Football League, to help recognise the contributions made to the sport of Australian rules football by players, umpires, media personalities, coaches and administrators. It was initially established...
at its inception in 1996. Jeans was known for his oral motivation skills as a coach and led St Kilda and Hawthorn
Hawthorn Football Club
The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys...
to a total of four premierships.
Football
After a modest 77-game playing career with the St Kilda Football Club (1955–1959), Jeans, known as "Yabby", took the reins of the Saints in 1961 for a remarkable 16-year career as senior coach. He coached St Kilda to successive grand finalsAFL Grand Final
The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
, in 1965 and 1966, including the Saints' first (and only) VFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
premiership in 1966. He took the Saints to another grand final appearance in 1971. Claiming "burn-out" he retired from coaching the team at the end of 1976.
In 1981 Jeans revived his coaching career when he was appointed coach for the Hawthorn Football Club
Hawthorn Football Club
The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys...
. He coached them until 1990 (excepting a year off in 1988 due to brain injury) establishing them as the dominant VFL team of the 1980s with premierships in 1983, 1986, 1988 and 1989 from seven consecutive grand finals.
Finally, he had a short-lived one year stint at Richmond
Richmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
in 1992, winning only five out of 22 games.
Later life
Jeans, following his retirement from his job as a sergeant with the Victoria PoliceVictoria Police
Victoria Police is the primary law enforcement agency of Victoria, Australia. , the Victoria Police has over 12,190 sworn members, along with over 400 recruits, reservists and Protective Service Officers, and over 2,900 civilian staff across 393 police stations.-Early history:The Victoria Police...
, became an avid social lawn bowls player at Cheltenham Lawn Bowls Club
Cheltenham, Victoria
Cheltenham is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, located 19 km south-east of Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Kingston to the eastern side of the area's metropolitan railway line and Charman Road north, while the City of Bayside resides over...
. His most recent public appearance was during the post-match presentations at the 2006 AFL Grand Final
2006 AFL Grand Final
The 2006 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Sydney Swans and West Coast Eagles, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 30 September 2006. It was the 110th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League, staged to...
. He died following years of ill-health on 12 July 2011.