The early career of Jock McHale

Cam · Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2017 12:28 am

Collingwood won the VFL flag in 1910, beating Carlton, lead by Captain-Coach George Angus. Jock McHale played in the centre. In 1911, we were rolled by Essendon by a goal, and Angus handed the team over to McHale for 1912.

In McHale's first season, the golden child took our dominant side, which had never missed the finals in the first 11 years of the final 4, to an unheralded 7th.

He bounced back to a degree in 1913, taking the Pies to 3rd, before missing the finals again in 1914. Despite finishing on top in the second year affected by WWI, the McHale led Pies faded badly, losing the Semi Final and Grand Final against the old foe Carlton. 1916 is a bit of an aberration as the VFL dropped to only 4 teams, Collingwood finished 2nd but lost the semi and were done.

So under McHale's leadership the Pies were less than successful in 12,13,14 and 16 but finally broke through in 1917, in the partly restored VFL of 6 teams. In the 8 team competition of 1918, Collingwood finished 2nd, but lost the Grand Final to South Melbourne by 5 points.

Despite finishing on top and losing the Prelim final to the Tigers, the Pies prevailed in the decider, winning McHale's 2nd flag as coach. After finishing 4th in 1920 however, the Tigers got their revenge, winning their first ever flag by 17 points. Collingwood would be represented in the Grand Finals of 22, 25, 26, 37, 38 & 39 but failed to bring home the bacon.

He would have some tough times, but also coach the Machine and win 6 flags in 10 years between 1927 and 1936. Our greatest coach, humble beginnings.

ronrat · Joined: 22 May 2006 Location: Thailand

Jock had one advantage. At mass on sunday he would have greeted Bishop Mannix after and wandered over to John Wren.

"Hey Jock, bit unlucky yesterday"

"Yes John, our young forward line is not only having trouble working out what the umpire is paying but the sporting globe is giving one of our players grief. Je has a young family and is struggling to cope and he is drinking a bit much at the Empire"

"Thats bad Jock, Why is he being troubled",

"We are keeping an eye on him and a coupleof the senior players are looking after hmi, We asked the Argus, the Sun, The Herald and the Globe to give him some space. But that wingbag and port swiller Mack Rubenstein keeps turning up at his front door and annoying his wife and mother , she is over their with the Bishop now, and he keeps turning up at his work in McGuires Shoe factory. It really shouldn't happen John"

"Thanks Jock. Yes I know the blowhard. Dodged going to war quoting religious nonsense. Sugar Roberts tells me he is annoying the fighters down the boxing gym.Looking for tips.And he has more than once been nasty to us. Is he the same joker who named our centre half back for visiting that brothel where he himself was at and still visits".

"You know my thoughts on that John but the flesh is weak. Yes he is one and the same".

"I will fix it"

"Sugar, go and tell Squizzy that the cove Rubenstein is talking of naming all the visitors to his girlfriends house in Richmond. Politicians, sportman, Police. He will be at Cloke and Horses slygrogging as usual this afternoon about 4.00"

GLOBE SPORT REPORTER STABBED IN LANE BEHIND CLOKE AND HORSES HOTEL . POLICE SAY NO WITNESSES. NO LEADS

Damien · Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2017 9:28 am

Cam · Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2017 3:04 pm

Correct weight, Damien.

And Ronrat, that was historically and literarily, brilliant!

thesoretoothsayer · Joined: 26 Apr 2017

Ronrat, are you saying that the missing piece in Buck's premiership puzzle is an alliance with organised crime?

Krakouer Magic · Joined: 05 Apr 2011

So what your saying is Jock won a flag as a player, won a flag as a playing coach, and had boat loads of success after WW1 when he transitioned to a full time coach? Cool story bro.

I'd say it lines up with Nathan Buckley almost a 100 years later except Bucks never won a flag as a player, no world war diluted the talent pool and... well Bucks couldn't create the Machine if he was coaching GWS

HAL · Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2017 9:16 pm

I'm glad you like it. Tell your friends.

stui magpie · Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2017 9:29 pm

Krakouer Magic · Joined: 05 Apr 2011

Krakouer Magic · Joined: 05 Apr 2011

Oh and I guarentee even Bucks is embarrassed by this thread. To infer any Collingwood Coach or Collingwood person is on the level of greatness of the one and only Jock McHale insults our club, McHales family and basically the universe as a whole.

Just saying

stui magpie · Posted: Sun Jun 18, 2017 12:06 am

ronrat · Joined: 22 May 2006 Location: Thailand

Bruce Gonsalves · Joined: 05 Jul 2012

thesoretoothsayer · Joined: 26 Apr 2017

Think I'll need to rustle up a biography of the great man, sounds like quite a character.

Cam · Posted: Sun Jun 18, 2017 9:50 pm

Now KM, the point was simply that you can't always pick the future.

If you were around in 1913, you would have started the Sack Jock McHale thread, and then re-established it in '14. Coz that's how you roll, bro.

As for Bucks, who knows? He could be done at the end of the year, or we could play finals. If we did play finals, it would be one of the more remarkable back ends of the season.

Personally I don't see it happening, simply due to luck more than anything. My guess is the AFL will ensure that the Demons win their first flag since '64. All I want is Collingwood to return to greatness, with or without one Nathan Charles Buckley. For one thing, if he is successful i will be happy and joyous and if he is not, and is removed, then I will be relieved. But its not my one mission in life, telling people that he is not good and should be sacked. Each to their own.