Mick Malthouse’s much-anticipated breaking of “Jock” McHale’s long-time coaching record mightn’t necessarily be a hit with Collingwood supporters.
But to them I humbly pose this question. From which senior League Coach did “Jock” McHale claim the record in the first place?
Answer: the legendary former Carlton Coach Jack Worrall.
It happened in the 14th Round of 1927, some 88 years ago, when Collingwood fronted up to Richmond at the Punt Road Oval. That July Saturday, McHale readied himself for game No.279 to draw level with Worrall – a 279-game career coach with Carlton in 144 matches from 1902-’09 and Essendon in 135 matches from 1911-1920.
To give the moment in time some context, 1927 was the year that Canberra’s Parliament House was formally opened by the Duke of York; that Charles Kingsford-Smith and his co-pilot Charles Ulm completed a round-Australia flight in ten days, five-and-a-half hours; and that Melbourne gangster “Squizzy” Taylor was killed in a shootout in Carlton’s Barkly Street.
Worrall, considered the game’s first coach, is forever linked with the old dark Navy Blues’ history-making Premiership teams of 1906, ’07 and ’08 – and it’s worth noting that 19 winters came and went before “Jack’s Heroes” claimed the 1906 pennant.
By then, Worrall knew his players were on the cusp of greatness. As he reported in Carlton’s Annual Report after the ’04 Grand final loss to Fitzroy - “There has been a progressive increase on the premiership ladder since 1902, but there is still a rung to climb”.
Carlton's legendary former coach Jack Worrall. (Photo: Carlton Football Club)
A former Fitzroy captain in the pre-VFL days, and a cricketer of renown at both club, state and national level, Worrall initially assumed the position of Carlton secretary – a position he commanded with the Carlton Cricket Club.
He brought the Latin motto Mens Sana In Corpore Sano (A Sound Mind In A Sound Body) to Princes Park and through his influence Carlton emerged as this competition’s first to take out the Premiership hat-trick.
Worrall later took Essendon to the Grand Final triumphs of 1911 and ’12 which, on the back of his spectacularly successful if volatile Carlton tenure, meant five Premierships in seven years. His 279th and final game as coach came in the 13th round of 1920, against St Kilda at the old East Melbourne Cricket Ground, after which he stood down for Captain-Coach Percy Ogden.
Jack Worrall’s coaching record would remain in place for almost seven years until Jock McHale claimed the crown. McHale’s record stood the test of time for almost 90 – and he only lived to be 70.
That Collingwood’s Jock claimed the game’s coaching record from Carlton’s Jack means it’s only fair and reasonable that Carlton’s Mick coach should reclaim what’s rightfully ours.
