John Devine

2023 - 1 - 30

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Image courtesy of "Geelong Cats"

Vale John Devine (Geelong Cats)

Geelong premiership player and former senior coach, John Devine, has passed away at the age of 82.

‘Colac’, as he became known, quickly established himself as a tough and courageous defender and a key part of an emerging side that would go on to win the 1963 premiership. Devine subsequently returned to Geelong as senior coach between 1986 and 1988. Devine was recruited from Colac as a 20-year-old in 1960 and went to on to play 118 games for the Cats after debuting against Footscray at the Whitten Oval in the first round of that year.

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Image courtesy of "Bay 93.9"

Goggin, Card lead John Devine tributes (Bay 93.9)

Former Geelong coach and premiership player John Devine is being remembered as an outstanding man, an extraordinary leader and a genuine and caring person ...

"He was just a lovely man. He was a leader." "Anyone that associated with John Devine was lucky.

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Image courtesy of "Fox Sports"

'Rest easy, Colac': Cats pay tribute to late coach, premiership defender (Fox Sports)

'Rest easy, Colac': Cats pay tribute to late coach, premiership defender.

the most dangerous place to stand, was in that space between John Devine and the ball.” “Colin Rice said that John (or Colac as he was known), was ‘as tough and as courageous as they come’ … Devine was awarded life membership at the Cats in 1993, inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame in 2002 and then later inducted as a legend into the Tasmania Football Hall of Fame in 2014.

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Image courtesy of "7NEWS.com.au"

AFL world mourning the loss of Geelong legend and Tasmanian ... (7NEWS.com.au)

The fearless defender has been described as an inspiration to an entire generation of budding AFL stars.

He was made a Legend of the Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame and represented Tasmania as a player, captain or coach seven times. Former Geelong teammate John Sharrock said: “In my time and watching the game since I haven’t seen a tougher player, some as tough maybe, but none tougher. The tough and fearless defender was also vice-captain of the Cats from 1961-1966 He was a key part of the 1963 premiership team and would again become runner-up in Geelong’s best and fairest in 1965. He was a coach of Geelong and a premiership player. Stream them all for free on

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Image courtesy of "K rock"

BREAKING: Cats premiership legend Devine dies at 82 (K rock)

Geelong Football Club is in mourning following the death of former coach, premiership player and club legend John Devine. Devine, who was recruited from ...

Following his career in the then-VFL, Devine moved to Tasmania where he won three premierships as captain-coach of North Hobart, was captain of Tasmania’s interstate team, North Hobart Team of the Century captain, Life Member, Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame inductee, and in 2014 was elevated to Legend status in the Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame. He was a member of the legendary 1963 Cats premiership team and later went on to become a highly respected senior coach at Geelong. Devine, who was recruited from Colac as a 20-year-old, is being remembered as a tough defender, a prolific high mark who was capable of playing any position on the ground, and whose team-mates stood a little taller when he was on the ground.

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