Jack Rocchi

{{short description|Australian rules footballer, born 1904}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2016}}

{{Use Australian English|date=August 2016}}

{{Infobox AFL biography

| name = Jack Rocchi

| image =

| fullname = John Rocchi

| birth_date = 21 December 1904

| birth_place = Boulder, Western Australia

| death_date = {{death date and age|1979|11|25|1904|12|21|df=yes}}

| death_place = Perth, Western Australia

| originalteam = Boulder City

| height = 168 cm

| weight = 66 kg

| position =

| statsend = 1931

| years1 = 1926–29

| club1 = South Fremantle

| games_goals1 = 63 (-)

| years2 = 1931

| club2 = Fitzroy

| games_goals2 = {{0}}4 (0)

| careerhighlights =

}}

Jack Rocchi (21 December 1904 – 25 November 1979) was an Australian rules footballer who played for South Fremantle in the WAFL and Fitzroy in the VFL.

Originally from the Goldfields, Rocchi started his WAFL career at South Fremantle and became their first ever Sandover Medal winner in 1928. He was a dual best and fairest winner at South Fremantle. A rover and one of the smaller players in the league, he was recognised for his sportsmanship, the dare of his play, his cleverness and the quality of his kicking and passing.{{cite news|newspaper=The Daily News|date=21 September 1928|page=2|title=Rochi wins highest football honour}} He suffered a knee injury in the 1929 semi-final, which resulted in his missing the entire 1930 season.{{cite news|newspaper=The Daily News|publication-place=Perth, WA|title=Football outlook|author=Kudex|date=11 February 1931|page=2}}

Rocchi was recruited to Fitzroy after he had impressed during an interstate appearance for West Australia against Victoria. He moved to Victoria in February 1931, and after the three month residential qualification period received his permit to play for Fitzroy – although not before a permit committee meeting in which delegates tried to argue over which date his ship had entered Victorian waters to get his qualification passed a week earlier.{{cite news|newspaper=The Daily News|publication-place=Perth, WA|title=Time counted in Rocchi's case|page=8|date=17 May 1931}} But he continued to be troubled by injury, and was restricted to just four games that season. He sought but was denied a clearance to {{AFL Car}} in 1932,{{cite news|newspaper=The Daily News|publication-place=Perth, WA|title=Football migration|page=2|date=31 March 1932|author=Kudex}} and never played top level senior football again.

Rocchi later served in the Royal Australian Air Force during World War II.{{cite web |url=https://nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/veteran?id=962367&c=WW2 |title=World War II Roll: ROCCHI, John |publisher=Department of Veterans Affairs}}