John Coleman was a legend of Australian Rules football who lived a storied life outside the game. John is featured on the Extraordinary Lives part 1 tour, where you can also learn about other stories from Fawkner Memorial Park.
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Download a transcript of John's story from the Discover Cemeteries app.Early years
John Coleman was born on 23 November 1928 at Port Fairy, Victoria.
Football career
Coleman first played Australian rules at the Port Fairy Higher Elementary School. By the age of 12, he was already competing for a local under-18 team.
Coleman made a name for himself by kicking 296 goals for Hastings in 1947-48 in the local Mornington Peninsula League. In 1949, Essendon selected him to play in its senior team in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
The only VFL player who ever kicked 100 goals in his first season, Coleman scored his hundredth goal in Essendon’s 1949 grand final victory over Carlton.
From then on, his star only rose. With explosive running speed and an ability to make spectacular, leaping marks, Coleman was an unforgettable presence on the football field.
Kicking 537 goals in 98 matches, he is one of only two Australian rules players to average more than five goals a game.
In his later years, Coleman returned to Essendon as a coach. In 1962, he coached the team to its first grand final victory in 12 years.
Coleman’s legendary status is honoured today by the Coleman Medal, which is awarded annually to the highest goal-kicker in the Australian Football League.
Personal life
Coleman married Reine Monica Fernando in 1955 and had two daughters, Anne-Marie and Jennifer.
Outside of football, he had a keen mind for business. He interrupted his studies for a degree in commerce at the University of Melbourne in 1949 to begin his career playing for Essendon. Essendon vice-president Ted Rippon gave Coleman the responsibility to manage the Auburn Hotel. Coleman later became licensee of the Essendon Hotel, and went on to run the West Brunswick Hotel on his own.
Death
On 5 April 1973, Coleman died suddenly of coronary antheroma at the age of 44. Survived by his wife and daughters, he is interred under a tree in Fawkner Memorial Park.
Bibliography
Davison G (1986) Coleman, John Douglas (1928-1973), Australian Dictionary of Biography, Australian National University [website]
Image source
Photo by AFL Photos.
