Rest easy, Colac’: Cats pay tribute to late….
The AFL community is grieving the loss at the age of 82 of Geelong champion player and former coach John Devine.
Devine, nicknamed ‘Colac’ because of his ties to the area, made his Cats debut at the age of 20 and went on to play 118 games, including the 1963 premiership win over Fitzroy.
“Devine will be remembered as a fearless player and a passionate Geelong man, loved by all of his teammates, and will be sadly missed,” stated the Geelong Football Club in a statement.
After leaving the Cats at the conclusion of 1966, where he finished runner-up best and fairest twice, Devine swiftly moved into teaching and headed south to join North Hobart as captain-coach for the 1967 season.
Devine was compelled to coach from over the boundary fence while still suspended from the 1966 VFL finals series.
But his influence was immediate as he helped guide the formerly last-placed North Hobart to a grand final in his first season.
That match featured one of the all-time football moments as opposition fans tore down the goalposts just before the siren – after controversy over a North Hobart mark in the dying seconds that could have given the side a shot at victory.
The match, where Devine was arguably best on ground with five goals as a forward, would go on to be deemed ‘no result’.
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