Mick Grace
Encyclopedia
Michael John Grace was an Australian rules football
er in the Victorian Football League
(VFL) and Victorian Football Association (VFA)
.
Mick Grace was a follower/forward who started his career at the top level in the VFA in 1895 with Fitzroy
, joining his older brother Jim
. Grace was part of Fitzroy's premiership team in that season (although no Grand Final was played in the VFA at the time). In 1897, Fitzroy was one of the eight clubs to form the VFL as a breakaway competition from the VFA, and in 1898 and 1899, Grace was part of back-to-back VFL premierships with the Maroons. He was regarded as the best player on the ground in the 1898 Grand Final
, and he is recorded by the AFL as the Champion of the Colony
in 1899 (although it is believed that this title was retrospectively awarded during the 1950s). Grace was part of the Maroons' 1900 losing premiership side, then retired from playing.
In 1903, influential coach Jack Worrall
persuaded Grace to return to the VFL for Carlton
. Grace played for Carlton between 1903 and 1907. He won a further two VFL premierships with Carlton (in 1906 and 1907), and in 1906 he kicked 50 goals in a single season; the first VFL player ever to do so.
Grace retired from the VFL again halfway through the 1907 season, and was set to play for Brighton
in the VFA for the remainder of the season, before Worrall convinced him to return to Carlton for the successful finals campaign.
Grace left Carlton again at the end of the 1907 season, and moved to St Kilda where he played 16 games in 1908.
Altogether throughout his career in Victoria, Grace won five premierships (three for Fitzroy and two for Carlton). Grace also played four state games for Victoria.
Grace had a brief coaching career, serving as St Kilda's coach in 1908 while playing, then coaching University
in 1910, and later coaching in Sydney.
Grace died in 1912, aged 37, from tuberculosis at Heidelberg.
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 in the Victorian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(VFL) and Victorian Football Association (VFA)
Victorian Football League
The Victorian Football League which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association , taking its new name as from the 1996 season, is the premier Australian rules football league in Victoria The Victorian Football League (VFL) which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association...
.
Mick Grace was a follower/forward who started his career at the top level in the VFA in 1895 with Fitzroy
Fitzroy Football Club
The Fitzroy Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Lions, is an Australian rules football club formed in 1883 to represent the inner Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy, Victoria and was a foundation member club of the Victorian Football League on its inception in 1897...
, joining his older brother Jim
Jim Grace (footballer)
Jim Grace was an Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy in the club's early years. His younger brother, Mick Grace, played beside him at Fitzroy....
. Grace was part of Fitzroy's premiership team in that season (although no Grand Final was played in the VFA at the time). In 1897, Fitzroy was one of the eight clubs to form the VFL as a breakaway competition from the VFA, and in 1898 and 1899, Grace was part of back-to-back VFL premierships with the Maroons. He was regarded as the best player on the ground in the 1898 Grand Final
1898 VFL Grand Final
The 1898 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Essendon Football Club and Fitzroy Football Club, held in Melbourne on 24 September 1898...
, and he is recorded by the AFL as the Champion of the Colony
Champion Of The Colony
The Champion of the Colony award refers to a list that was most likely compiled in the late 1940s by Australian football historian C.C. Mullen for the publications "Mullen's Footballers' Australian Almanac 1950", and 1951, plus a History of Australian rules football he wrote in about 1958...
in 1899 (although it is believed that this title was retrospectively awarded during the 1950s). Grace was part of the Maroons' 1900 losing premiership side, then retired from playing.
In 1903, influential coach Jack Worrall
Jack Worrall
John "Jack" Worrall was an Australian rules footballer for Fitzroy in the VFA and a test cricketer, a coach of both sports and a sporting journalist....
persuaded Grace to return to the VFL for Carlton
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...
. Grace played for Carlton between 1903 and 1907. He won a further two VFL premierships with Carlton (in 1906 and 1907), and in 1906 he kicked 50 goals in a single season; the first VFL player ever to do so.
Grace retired from the VFL again halfway through the 1907 season, and was set to play for Brighton
Brighton Football Club
Brighton Football Club was an Australian rules football club which played in the VFA. The club was based in the Melbourne suburb of Brighton and were nicknamed the Penguins...
in the VFA for the remainder of the season, before Worrall convinced him to return to Carlton for the successful finals campaign.
Grace left Carlton again at the end of the 1907 season, and moved to St Kilda where he played 16 games in 1908.
Altogether throughout his career in Victoria, Grace won five premierships (three for Fitzroy and two for Carlton). Grace also played four state games for Victoria.
Grace had a brief coaching career, serving as St Kilda's coach in 1908 while playing, then coaching University
Melbourne University Football Club
Melbourne University Football Club, often known simply as University is an Australian rules football club.The club achieved prominence by being a member of the game's most elite competition in the early 20th century, the Victorian Football League between 1908 and 1914.Although there are no records...
in 1910, and later coaching in Sydney.
Grace died in 1912, aged 37, from tuberculosis at Heidelberg.