Allan Jeans
{{Short description|Australian rules footballer, born 1933}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2015}}
{{Use Australian English|date=April 2015}}
{{Infobox AFL biography
| name = Allan Jeans
| image = Allan Jeans.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| fullname = Allan Lindsay Jeans
| birth_date = {{birth date|1933|9|21|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Finley, New South Wales
| death_date = {{death date and age|2011|7|12|1933|9|21|df=yes}}
| death_place = Lynbrook, Victoria
| originalteam = Tocumwal / Finley
| height = 180 cm
| weight = 83 kg
| position =
| guernsey = 14
| years1 = 1955–1959
| club1 = {{AFL StK}}
| games_goals1 = 77 (26)
| coachclub1 = {{AFL StK}}
| coachyears1 = 1961–1976
| coachgames_wins1 = {{align|right|332 (193–138–1)}}
| coachclub2 = {{AFL Haw}}
| coachyears2 =1981–1987
1989–1990
| coachgames_wins2 = {{align|right|221 (159–61–1)}}
| coachclub3 = {{AFL Ric}}
| coachyears3 = 1992
| coachgames_wins3 = {{align|right|22 (5–17–0)}}
| coachgames_winstotal = {{align|right|575 (357–216–2)}}
| statsend = 1959
| coachstatsend = 1992
| careerhighlights = Coaching
- 4× VFL premiership coach: 1966, 1983, 1986, 1989
- Australian Football Hall of Fame (inaugural inductee)
- St Kilda Team of the Century
- AFLCA Coaching Legend Award: 2015
(coach)
}}
Allan Lindsay Jeans (21 September 1933 – 13 July 2011) was an Australian rules footballer and coach. He was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame at its inception in 1996.{{cite web|url=http://www.afl.com.au/aflhq/awards/halloffame/coaches/tabid/858/default.aspx|title=Australian Football Hall of Fame – coaches|website=Australian Football League|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110806114512/http://www.afl.com.au/aflhq/awards/halloffame/coaches/tabid/858/default.aspx|archive-date=6 August 2011|url-status=dead|date=6 August 2011 }} Jeans was known for his oratory and motivation skills as a coach and led St Kilda and Hawthorn to a total of four premierships.
VFL career
Allan Jeans was recruited to St Kilda after playing in Finley Football Club's 1954 Murray Football League (MFL) senior premiership,{{cite web |title=1954 - Murray FL - Grand Final match review |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/189891410# |via=Trove Newspapers |work=Cobram Courier |access-date=5 May 2020 |date=23 September 1954|page=4}} and he was also runner-up in the 1954 MFL O’Dwyer Medal.{{cite web |title=1954 - Murray FL - O'Dwyer Medal |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/189889492 |via=Trove Newspapers |work=Cobram Courier |date=26 August 1954|page=4}}
After a modest 77-game playing career with the St Kilda Football Club (1955–1959), Jeans, known as "Yabby", took the reins of the Saints in 1961 for a remarkable 16-year career as senior coach. He coached St Kilda to successive grand finals, in 1965 and 1966, including the Saints' first (and only) VFL premiership in 1966. He took the Saints to another grand final appearance in 1971. Claiming "burn-out", he retired from coaching the team at the end of 1976.{{Cite web|url=http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/St_Kilda_part_2.htm|website=Full Points Footy|title=St Kilda: Part 2|access-date=25 May 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930182347/http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/St_Kilda_part_2.htm |archive-date=30 September 2007 |url-status = usurped|df=dmy-all }}
In 1981, Jeans revived his coaching career when he was appointed coach for the Hawthorn Football Club. He coached them until 1990 (excluding a year off in 1988 due to brain injury) establishing them as the dominant VFL team of the 1980s, with premierships in 1983, 1986 and 1989 from seven consecutive grand finals.
Finally, he had a short-lived one-year stint at Richmond in 1992, winning only five out of 22 games.
Later life
Jeans supported the planned merger between {{AFL Haw}} and {{AFL Mel}} in 1996.{{cite web |last1=Sheahan |first1=Mike |title=MERGE - It's time to look ahead not back |url=http://www.hawkheadquarters.com/article.aspx?articleid=206 |website=hawkheadquarters.com |publisher=Herald Sun |access-date=19 March 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030316115040/http://www.hawkheadquarters.com/article.aspx?articleid=206 |archive-date=16 March 2003 |date=16 September 1996}}{{cite web |last1=Linnell |first1=Stephen |last2=Rielly |first2=Stephen |title=Proposed Demons, Hawks merger sparks outrage |url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/from-the-archives-1996-rival-factions-clash-over-demons-hawks-merger-20190913-p52r1o.html |publisher=The Age |access-date=13 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250123234745/https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/from-the-archives-1996-rival-factions-clash-over-demons-hawks-merger-20190913-p52r1o.html |archive-date=23 January 2025 |date=17 September 1996}}
Following his retirement from his job as a Senior Sergeant with Victoria Police, Jeans became an avid social lawn bowls player at Cheltenham Lawn Bowls Club. One of his last public appearances was at the post-match presentations of the 2006 AFL Grand Final. He died following years of ill health on 12 July 2011.{{cite news|last=Anderson|first=Jo|title=Tributes pour in after AFL legend Allan Jeans dies at age 77|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/afl-legend-allan-jeans-dies/story-e6frf9io-1226093566266|date=July 13, 2011|access-date=13 July 2011|newspaper=Herald Sun|author2=Clark, Jay}}{{cite news|last=DiSisto|first=Peter|title=Jeans and the Hawks|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/118424/default.aspx#embedvideoplayer|date=12 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714230614/http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/118424/default.aspx|archive-date=14 July 2011|url-status=dead|work=AFL}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20040305134406/http://saints.com.au/default.asp?pg=halloffameprofile&spg=display11&personid=194017 St Kilda Saints profile of Allan Jeans]
- {{AFL Tables|ref=A/Allan_Jeans.html}}
{{1966 St Kilda premiership players}}
{{1983 Hawthorn premiership players}}
{{1986 Hawthorn premiership players}}
{{1989 Hawthorn premiership players}}
{{St Kilda Football Club coaches}}
{{Hawthorn Football Club coaches}}
{{Richmond Football Club coaches}}
{{Jock McHale Medal}}
{{Hawthorn Football Club Hall of Fame Legends}}
{{St Kilda Football Club Team of the Century 1900–1999}}
{{1983 VFL Team of the Year}}
{{1986 VFL Team of the Year}}
{{1984 Victoria State of Origin players}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jeans, Allan}}
Category:Australian rules footballers from New South Wales
Category:St Kilda Football Club coaches
Category:St Kilda Football Club premiership coaches
Category:Australian Football Hall of Fame inductees
Category:St Kilda Football Club players
Category:Hawthorn Football Club coaches
Category:Hawthorn Football Club premiership coaches
Category:Richmond Football Club coaches
Category:Finley Football Club players