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PERSONAL D.O.B.: 14/3/61 Hometown: Wollongong Height: 180cm* Weight: 86kg*(*=during football career) Nickname: Jimmy
TEAMS REPRESENTED
Games for Wests('81): 4 (1 try,3 points
Games for Balmain('82-92,'95): 244 (58 tries, 1 goal, 1 field goal, 228 points*)
*=95 points not included
Games for NSW('84-89): 17 (1 try, 4 points)
Games for Australia('84-88): 20 (11 tries, 44 points)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS N.S.W. Origin '84-89 Australian rep '84-88 Panasonic Cup Premiers 1985 Kangaroo Tourist in 1986 Winner of 1987 Adidas 'Golden Boot' Award First Australian fullback to score a hat-trick in a Test Played in consectutive Grand Finals in 1988-89 Awarded Life Member status of Balmain R.L.F.C. Inaugural inductee to Balmain Tigers Hall of Fame
Garry Jack's award of the Adidas Golden Boot Award in 1987 as the finest League player in the world
is a measure of the standing he attained in the 1980's.However it wasn't until the age of 14 that Jack
switched from lock to the position now synomonous with his name.A change prompted by the occassional
hidings he'd receive from bigger opponents during his early junior career.
It was fullback then that appealed to the young Garry,as he had the freedom to move around
and join the attack.Although defence would also became his forte.
In his hometown of Wollongong,Jack played for the 'Red Devils',winning the U/17 competition in a
year when he played alongside another future Tiger,Steve Roach.
At just 19 years of age,the promising Wollongong grade player set himself the lofty ambition of playing
for his country.A short time later,and the wheels to that career path would be set in motion.
In 1981 the dashing,snowy-haired fullback trialed with Wests on the recommendation of his Wests Wollongong
coach Paul Sait,who had coached Jack's team to a Premiership in 1980. Local identity,'Duke' Taylor,
also persuaded Jack to trial.Jack saw the trial as a chance to gain fitness for the season at Wollongong,
so he was suprised to find himself playing the latter part of the season in Magpies 1st grade.
It was during this time that then-secretary of Balmain,Keith Barnes,took the time to seek him out
personally and persuaded him to join Balmain.Said Jack, "Keith told me that there was a young player
up there named Wayne Pearce who would represent Australia.Other players like Steve Roach and Ben Elias
who were coming up through the ranks and the side had the opportunity to really 'grow up' together".
Aggresive,fast and safe under pressure,Jack was seen at his best running the ball and
breaking the first line of defence.
In 1984,he made his State of Origin debut and was selected for the three match Test series
against Great Britain.For the next four years,he reigned supreme as the number one fullback
in the world,missing only the First Test on the tour of New Zealand in 1985 during this period.
On the 1986 Kangaroo tour,Jack played in all seven Tests.He became the first Australian fullback
to score three tries in a Test with his performance against France in the second Test.
He stayed on to play for Salford after the tour but decided to stand down from the State of Origin
match in Los Angeles in 87 to spend more time with family.
After playing in Australia's World Cup victory in New Zealand the following year,his Test career
suddenly ended.In 1989 Jack broke his arm in a pre-season game,vowing he would never play another one.
An unhappy State of Origin match and serious injury then saw him retire from representative
football,leaving the way open for Gary Belcher to assume the position.While he bounced back
in the '89 finals series,the disappointment of consecutive grand final losses in 88-89 with Balmain
saw Jack try to regain his place in the representative sides only to find
the door firmly closed.
The next few years saw the departure of coach Warren Ryan and the arrival of former Wallaby coach,
Alan Jones.The Jones years saw the side flounder at the foot of the premiership,with many onlookers
criticising the new coach.Yet Jones had caused major internal problems which had been covered up,
until Jack expressed plenty of anti-Jones sentiment when he took the extraordinary step of writing
a letter to R.L.W. to allege,among other things,the existence of a Jones 'inner circle' in the club.
Jack wrote "Jones may be a world class speaker...but a Winfield Cup coach he definetly is not",
as well as "Jones played favourites and there was a handful of players who could do no wrong in his eyes".
Jack waited till he went to the UK to supposedly finish his career,before he spoke his mind,
although the letter would've had more credibility if it had been published in June,when he would
have had to answer his actions.
He was still in great form when he quit the Tigers at the end of 1992,having surpassed Keith Barnes's
record for first grade matches,to play his final season with Sheffield Eagles in England.
His final game at Leichardt saw approx.18 000 Tiger fans come out to pay homage to him,
as well as club stalwarts Steve Roach and David Brooks.
After accepting a manager-coach position with Salford,Jack was relieved from the coaching duties
before being sacked as club manager in early 1995.This saw him return to Australia that year to help out
the struggling Sydney Tigers side,who were playing home games at Parramatta Stadium.
Although the club didn't have a successful year in Jack's final playing season,his game in '95,
while a little slower,was still a valuable asset to the Tigers side and defied the critics,
who claimed the leagues oldest fullback was well past his prime.
After his second and final retirement,Jack was employed for a short time on Sydney radio's 2GB
"World of Football" program,hosted by Andrew Moore,as a guest commentator.
In December '98 Jack and fellow Balmain legend,Benny Elias,both missed out on places on the Balmain
board at the Tigers AGM,where Balmain members voted that the club stand-alone and not go into mergers.
Elias,who was keen on Balmain,Sydney City and South Sydney all merging into one club,was never going
to win a position on the board due to his motives.However,Jack failing to get on the board was surprising.
On 11/2/99 Jack made the newspapers when he took Ian Roberts to the Sydney District Court
over an on-field brawl in 1991.Taking a stand against a cowardly,yet devastating beating he received by
several Manly players,Jack attempted to sue Roberts for $100 000 in damages.Jack alleged he suffered shock,
traumatic injuries to his face and eyes,cuts,headaches and numbness,and was embarrassed by scarring
to his face.The hearing was postponed for a number of weeeks after the first few days had passed,
but,resuming on 15/3/99,Jack and Roberts settled the dispute outside the court,
with Roberts angrily handing over more than $50 000.The settlement,along with further news headlines,
has apparently left bad blood between the two,and unfairly damaged their reputations.
Triple M's "Deadset Legends" discussed the action.
During this time,Alan Jones,who Jack had criticised earlier,lashed out at his court action on
his Sydney radio program.Jack,perhaps an avid 2UE listener,boldly responded through the 'John Laws Show',
asserting he had made Roberts aware from the beginning the dispute was over pride & ethics,not money.
Garry took the field on 18/4/99 for the Balmain Legends v Manly at Leichhardht Oval in a short
game of touch.Played before the beginning of 1st grade,the retro-match reunited a few famous Tigers,
eg Elias and Neil,who got more crowd appreciation that day for their comedy rather than skill!
Jack played an important role in the Balmain club's decision to choose Wests rather than
Parramatta as its possible joint venture partner.On 14/7/99, Jack attended a Life Members' lunch
at Balmain Leagues Club with fellow stalwarts Keith Barnes, Wayne Pearce,Steve Roach,Ben Elias,
Kevin Humphries and C.E.O.,Danny Munk.The Tiger's 1st grade squad was also present.
While no voting took place,those present expressed concern that the Eels would dominate a
Balmain-Parramatta merger.
Keith Barnes spoke of the meeting which Jack took place in.
"The major points discussed were the possibility of a Parramatta takeover,
the strength of the Balmain team,the club's financial position,playing at Parramatta Stadium and
the sharing of 6 games at Campbelltown and 6 at Leichhardt."
Jack and company would back their recommendation to form a merger with the Magpies at the meeting
of football club members on July 27.They would also feature in a public campaign to convince members
to vote in favour of merging.Jack stated at the time,"I don't necessarily agree with 14 teams but at
least we'll be there in some entity otherwise if we take a punt and are unsuccesful with the criteria
we'll be in first division."
Come 27/7/99,7:35pm,a historic General Meeting of Balmain Football Club members took place in
order to vote on whether to "enter into a joint venture with Western Suburbs..
in the NRL competition..in the year 2000".
Before the vote,members were given their chance to express their own views on merging
or standing alone.Jack spoke for merging.
It must be said that Jack's choice to wear a jacket with the word "Balmain" spread across
the back that night was a little strange,not consistent with his belief in merging and
sacrificing the title.
"Balmain people have always said 'Black and Gold never fold'.That was true in the past,
but if we don't merge with Wests,we will fold." Jack's speech focused on the commercial requirements
of running a football club."Rugby League's a business" declared the former fullback.
He went on to state that with all respect to the current 1st grade team,
that for the last 10yrs and present time,Balmain were incapable of attracting top quality players
with their current funds.Jack drew contrasts with rival players' desire to play for the Tigers in
'88 & '89,as compared to the lull in modern times.
Pointing to an overhead of the costs of standing alone as compared to merging,
Jack branded the additional $8m cost of standing alone as impossible.
"Where's that money gonna come from?",Jack quizzed members,"Is everyone gonna chip in?".
Yet as serious as he was,Jack still managed to bring the house down in reference to extra equity
when he joked at his own expense,"I'm tellin' ya',you won't get 10 cents out of me Chalkie!".
At the conclusion of his speech though,Jack placed his trust in Keith Barnes's leadership,
saying he knew how hard it must have been for him to have earlier come before the members and
recommended a merger.
In a moving tribute,Jack acknowledged his respect for the man he called his 'boyhood idol',
"with all due respect to everyone in this room,there's not one person here I respect more than you Barnesy".
It was then clear to all present that if merging was good enough for Balmain's favourite son,
Keith Barnes,it was good enough for Garry Jack.
Likewise,heroes such as Barnes,Humpheries,Jack,Pearce,Elias,Roach and Sironen's endorsements
to merge must have been good enough for the members,who voted 294-99 to merge with Wests.
Part of a parade of Balmain Legends,Jack was present at Balmain's last home game,in driving rain,
on Saturday night,14/8/99.While they proved victorious,it remained a sad night.
Attending the Tigers last game as the original club,Jack,along with other Legends,travelled to Canberra,
Sunday afternoon 29/8/99.Sadly Balmain were thrashed by the Raiders.
Jack then ran his own sports store,"Garry Jack's SportScene",in Burwood,
selling sports clothing and equipment with a focus on rugby league.
On 12/3/00 the Sun-Herald reported that Jack had recently sold his sports store but still
operated his sporting memorabilia company,Blazed in Glory.
Jack received perhaps his last football accolade at the Balmain Tigers inaugural hall of
fame dinner, in March 2005. Before a large gathering of Tigers greats and supporters at the
Westin Hotel, Jack received his place in Tigers history alongside other club legends like
Wayne Pearce, Keith Barnes, and Peter Provan.
The suburb of Cherrybrook,in Sydney's north-west,has played home to Jack,along with wife,
Donna, and their three sons: Kieran, Rhys and Brandon.