John Nix (Australian footballer) explained

John Nix
Fullname:John Joseph Nix
Birth Date:25 December 1931
Originalteam:Trafalgar
Height:178 cm
Weight:79 kg
Statsend:1956
Years1:1949–1956
Club1:Richmond
Games Goals1:95 (18)

John Joseph Nix (born 25 December 1931) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Richmond in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

Nix, a centreman recruited from Trafalgar, debuted at VFL level aged just 17.[1] [2] He made 95 league appearances for Richmond, between 1949 and 1956.[3] His best season was in 1952, when he played in all of Richmond's 19 games and polled eight Brownlow Medal votes.[3] [4]

At the end of the 1956 season, Nix was appointed playing coach of Latrobe Valley Football League side Sale.[5] He won the league's best and fairest award in 1957 and also steered Sale to that year's premiership.[6] Sale were premiers again in 1959, Nix's third and final season at the club.[6] From 1960 to 1962, Nix was captain-coach of Mornington, in the Mornington Peninsula Football League.[7] He led them to a premiership in his first season.[8]

In 1966, Nix returned to the Tigers as Reserve Grade coach,[9] and led them to a premiership in his first season. Nix’ Tiger Reserves won all twenty games – including the second semi and Grand Final – on the scoreboard, but were denied an official perfect season[10] because they played an unregistered player, Frank Loughran, in three games[11] against Carlton, Footscray and Collingwood Reserves.[12] Nix would continue as Tiger Reserves coach for a further three seasons, during which the team reached the finals every year but were defeated in both the 1967 and 1968 Grand Finals, and finished second before losing both their finals in 1969.

Nix was a policeman throughout his playing career[13] and he later ran a newsagency in Belgrave. He is also the father-in-law of former Richmond player Matthew Wall.

Notes and References

  1. Book: Holmesby. Russell. Main. Jim. The Encyclopedia Of AFL Footballers. BAS Publishing. 2007. 9781920910785.
  2. News: Horwood, G. Sier At Richmond . . Melbourne. 17 March 1950 . 9 April 2014 . 17 . National Library of Australia.
  3. Web site: John Nix. AFL Tables.
  4. News: How They Scored . . Melbourne. 4 September 1952 . 9 April 2014 . 8 . National Library of Australia.
  5. News: Richmond Centre to Coach Sale. The Age . Melbourne. 2 October 1956. 9 April 2014 . 16.
  6. Web site: Honour Board. Mornington Football and Netball Club.
  7. News: Nix to Coach Mornington. . Melbourne. 21 September 1959. 9 April 2014 . 11.
  8. Book: Devaney . John. The Full Points Footy Encyclopedia Of Australian Football Clubs. Full Points Publications. 2009 . 978-0-9556897-3-4.
  9. Tigerland Archive; John Nix
  10. The only teams to have accomplished a true perfect season in any grade of VFL/AFL football have been Geelong Reserves in 1930 and Essendon Under-19s in 1950.
  11. News: The Sun News-Pictorial. Melbourne. 31 August 1966. 63. Richmond out of under-19 four.
  12. Football Record, 1966 Grand Final, p. 22
  13. News: Pistol dropped in struggle - man he was arresting shouted 'shoot him,' constable tells court . The Argus . Victoria, Australia . 24 December 1954 . 8.