John Nicholls
Encyclopedia
John Nicholls is a former Australian rules football
er who played for Carlton Football Club
in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.
in 1957, after recruiting his elder brother Don the previous year, after Nicholls' father ensured that both brothers would play together at one club. Don who went on to play 77 senior games as a centreman for Carlton from 1956, when he was Carlton's best first-year player, to 1961.
His immense size, characterised by tree trunk-like legs, earned Nicholls the nickname "Big Nick." Nicholls was first made Captain in 1963 for one season, and then again in 1968, holding the position from then until retirement. In 1972, he became captain/coach of the club, and after retirement as a player in 1974, continued coaching through 1975.
Nicholls played in three premierships, all as captain:
He would also play in three losing Grand Finals:
Nicholls finished his VFL career with a then-record 331 games (three state games played during Carlton games were added to his 328 Carlton games). He played for Victoria 31 times in interstate football, a record which, due to the lack of top-level interstate football since 1999, is very unlikely to be broken. Following his retirement from Carlton, Nicholls coached two seasons with the Glenelg Football Club, from 1977–1978, and one season at the Coburg Football Club (1981). He also scored 307 goals in his career.
for Carlton's best and fairest player on five occasions: 1959, only his third season, and then in 1963, 1965, 1966 and 1967. In the eleven seasons from 1959 to 1969, Nicholls never placed outside the top three for the award. The trophy was renamed in Nicholls' honour in 2004. He was also named in Carlton's Team of the Century in the first ruck.
With the inception of the Australian Football Hall of Fame
, Nicholls was named as one of the twelve inaugural "Legends." He was also named in the AFL Team of the Century, as the resting ruckman in the back pocket
, with Graham Farmer
taking the first ruck position. He is depicted contesting a boundary throw-in against Farmer in Jamie Cooper's painting the Game That Made Australia, commissioned by the AFL in 2008 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the sport.
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 who played for Carlton Football Club
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.
Carlton career
The Carlton Football Club recruited Nicholls from the Maryborough Football ClubMaryborough Football Club
The Maryborough Football Club are an Australian rules football club which compete in the Bendigo Football League.They are based in the town of Maryborough, Victoria.-History:...
in 1957, after recruiting his elder brother Don the previous year, after Nicholls' father ensured that both brothers would play together at one club. Don who went on to play 77 senior games as a centreman for Carlton from 1956, when he was Carlton's best first-year player, to 1961.
His immense size, characterised by tree trunk-like legs, earned Nicholls the nickname "Big Nick." Nicholls was first made Captain in 1963 for one season, and then again in 1968, holding the position from then until retirement. In 1972, he became captain/coach of the club, and after retirement as a player in 1974, continued coaching through 1975.
Nicholls played in three premierships, all as captain:
- 19681968 VFL Grand FinalThe 1968 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Carlton Football Club and Essendon Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 28 September 1968. It was the 72nd annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine...
against Essendon; - 19701970 VFL Grand FinalThe 1970 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Carlton Football Club and Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 26 September 1970. It was the 74th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine...
against Collingwood, the game remembered for Carlton's seven-goal comeback; and - 19721972 VFL Grand FinalThe 1972 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Carlton Football Club and Richmond Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 7 October 1972. It was the 76th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine the...
as captain/coach, where an ultra-attacking game-plan against a high-scoring RichmondRichmond Football ClubThe 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,...
team saw the then-highest scoring game in VFLAustralian Football LeagueThe Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
history, and saw Nicholls kick six goals.
He would also play in three losing Grand Finals:
- 19621962 VFL Grand FinalThe 1962 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Essendon Football Club and Carlton Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 29 September 1962. It was the 66th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine...
, against Essendon; - 19691969 VFL Grand FinalThe 1969 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Carlton Football Club and Richmond Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 27 September 1969. It was the 73rd annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine...
, against Richmond; and - 19731973 VFL Grand FinalThe 1973 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Richmond Football Club and Carlton Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 29 September 1973. It was the 77th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine...
, again as captain/coach, against Richmond; in which he was felled early by Laurie FowlerLaurie FowlerLaurie Fowler is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Richmond and Melbourne in the Victorian Football League....
, causing Nicholls to have double vision, and concussing him.
Nicholls finished his VFL career with a then-record 331 games (three state games played during Carlton games were added to his 328 Carlton games). He played for Victoria 31 times in interstate football, a record which, due to the lack of top-level interstate football since 1999, is very unlikely to be broken. Following his retirement from Carlton, Nicholls coached two seasons with the Glenelg Football Club, from 1977–1978, and one season at the Coburg Football Club (1981). He also scored 307 goals in his career.
Honours
Nicholls won the Robert Reynolds TrophyJohn Nicholls Medal
The John Nicholls Medal is an Australian rules football award given to the player adjudged Best and Fairest for the Carlton Football Club for the season....
for Carlton's best and fairest player on five occasions: 1959, only his third season, and then in 1963, 1965, 1966 and 1967. In the eleven seasons from 1959 to 1969, Nicholls never placed outside the top three for the award. The trophy was renamed in Nicholls' honour in 2004. He was also named in Carlton's Team of the Century in the first ruck.
With the inception of 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...
, Nicholls was named as one of the twelve inaugural "Legends." He was also named in the AFL Team of the Century, as the resting ruckman in the back pocket
Back pocket
In Australian rules football, the back pocket refers to a position on the field deep in defence.Back pocket players, situated in the backline, need to have good spoiling skills and usually, quality back-pockets are noted for their hardness....
, with Graham Farmer
Graham Farmer
Graham Vivian "Polly" Farmer, MBE is a retired Australian rules football player and coach. Born in Western Australia, he joined the East Perth Football Club as a ruckman in 1953, where he won several awards and contributed to the team winning three premierships...
taking the first ruck position. He is depicted contesting a boundary throw-in against Farmer in Jamie Cooper's painting the Game That Made Australia, commissioned by the AFL in 2008 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the sport.