John Frederick Dawes McDiarmid (3 October 1903 – 10 August 1974) was an Australian rules footballer who played for the West Perth and Claremont Football Clubs in the Western Australian National Football League (WANFL). He was inducted into the West Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2004.

Jack McDiarmid
A portrait of John Frederick Dawes "Jack" McDiarmid, who played 183 games for the West Perth and Claremont Football Clubs.
Personal information
Full name John Frederick Dawes McDiarmid
Nickname(s) "Fat"
Date of birth (1903-10-03)3 October 1903
Place of birth Perth, Western Australia
Date of death 8 October 1974(1974-10-08) (aged 71)
Place of death Perth, Western Australia
Original team(s) West Perth juniors
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)[1]
Weight 15 st 10 lb (100 kg; 220 lb)[1]
Position(s) Ruckman
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1923–34 West Perth 177 (73)
1935 Claremont: 6 (2)
Total 183 (75)
Representative team honours
Years Team Games (Goals)
1924–30 Western Australia 25 (26)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1935.
Career highlights
Source: AustralianFootball.com

Family

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McDiarmid was the oldest of four brothers who each played football in Western Australia. His brother, Norman, played senior football for West Perth and the state team, and the two other brothers, Robert and Ron, played junior and reserves football for West Perth. Their father, Frederick McDiarmid, had played for South Adelaide in the South Australian Football Association (SAFA), and emigrated to Western Australia in 1900.[2]

Football

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After beginning with West Perth's affiliated junior club in the Western Australian Football Association, McDiarmid debuted with the senior West Perth side in 1923, and made an immediate impact.

He played his first match for Western Australia against in the 1924 Australasian Football Carnival in Hobart. He also played in the 1927 and 1930 Carnivals, held in Melbourne and Adelaide, respectively. McDiarmid was made vice-captain of Western Australia for the 1930 carnival, and was again named vice-captain for the 1933 Carnival,[3] held in Sydney, but missed a large portion of the 1933 season due to a knee injury, and was unable to take part.[4]

He announced his retirement at the end of the 1934 season, but the following season, transferred to Claremont, where he played six games before retiring again.[5] In total, McDiarmid played 183 games of senior WAFL football, 177 for West Perth and six for Claremont, as well as representing his state on 25 occasions.[6]

McDiarmid was one of the largest WAFL players at the time, in terms of both height and size, standing just under 6 feet (1.8 m), and weighing 15 stone 10 pounds (100 kg) at his peak.[7] In 1929, The West Australian described McDiarmid as "the most rugged and effective follower in the league" and the "ideal heavyweight footballer", describing his "massive shoulders and chest and footballer's thighs".[1] At West Perth, he often partnered with Don Marinko in the ruck, with Marinko serving as "tap" ruckman and McDiarmid as ruck "shepherd". The two also partnered in state matches, on occasion.[8]

Recognition

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In October 2000, McDiarmid was named in West Perth's Team of the Century.[9] In 2004, he was an inaugural inductee into the West Australian Football Hall of Fame.[10]

See also

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Footnotes

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  1. ^ a b c (2) J. McDiarmidThe West Australian. Published 27 June 1929. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
  2. ^ A FOOTBALL FAMILY.The West Australian. Published 12 October 1935. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  3. ^ Carnival Team's Departure.The West Australian. Published 26 July 1933. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
  4. ^ THREE CLUBS START PRACTICEThe West Australian. Published 21 March 1934. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
  5. ^ SUBIACO HOLDS PROMISING LEADThe West Australian. Published 9 July 1935. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
  6. ^ WAFL Premiership Players 1931–2009 – wafootball.com.au. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
  7. ^ West Perth v. East PerthThe West Australian. Published 8 October 1932. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
  8. ^ Jack McDiarmid (West Perth) – FullPointsFooty. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
  9. ^ West Perth Official 'Team of the Century' Archived 11 January 2012 at the Wayback Machine – FullPointsFooty. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  10. ^ Hall of Fame inductees Archived 11 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine – wafootball.com.au. Retrieved 12 February 2012.