Match Day
Past Greats - John Coleman
John Coleman
John Coleman was born at Port Fairy (Warrnambool) on 23rd November 1928 and played his first game of senior football for Hastings in the Mornington Peninsula Football League on May 3rd, 1947. Playing at full-forward, he kicked 8 goals and finished the season with a total of 137, which was a major factor in Hastings winning the 1947 Premiership. The following year he was again a key member of the Hastings undefeated 1948 Premiership side with a modest tally of 160 goals.
Prior to the start of the 1949 football season, John Coleman had become the most sought after player in the land and after much speculation, he joined Essendon in the VFL. In his debut game against Hawthorn, he kicked 12 goals, which was to be the first of many record-breaking efforts achieved by Coleman throughout his 5 1/2 year league career. Due to a knee injury in 1954 he was forced to retire. In 1961, he became the coach of Essendon and led them to the 1962 and 1965 premierships. In 1996 John Coleman was named a member of the AFL "Team of the Century".
The late great John Coleman will always be remembered as the shy, humble, country boy from Hastings who went on to become an AFL legend and possibly the greatest player ever. He was indeed a truly great Australian sportsman and gentleman.
Acknowledgement: Victor Jeremiah, Hastings Football Club Historian