Jack Deas

John Deas (5 November 1875 – 23 August 1949) was an Australian rules footballer who played for the South Melbourne Football Club, Fitzroy Football Club and Essendon Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

Family
The son of John Deas (1843–1891), and  Elizabeth Deas (1851-1925), née Scott, John Deas was born at Port Melbourne, Victoria on 5 November 1875. His brother, George Deas (1888–1958), played VFL football with South Melbourne and VFA football with Port Melbourne; another brother, Robert "Bob" Deas (1886-1960), also played VFL football with South Melbourne.

He married Irene Styche Colby (1882–1941) on 2 November 1912. They had two children: a daughter, Nancy (b.1915), and a son, Geoffrey (b.1918), who died in his infancy.

Cricket
He played cricket with the South Melbourne Cricket Club.

South Melbourne (VFA)
Deas, who was a defender, was recruited from the Leopold Football Club in the Victorian Junior Football Association (MJFA), with whom he played in 1895 and 1896. He played one game with the South Melbourne Football Club in the VFA in 1896.

South Melbourne (VFL)
He played in two games with South Melbourne in the first-ever year of the VFL competition (1897).

Fitzroy (VFL)
He was cleared from South Melbourne to Fitzroy in May 1899. He played in 15 consecutive matches, following his debut in round 3, and was a half-back flanker in Fitzroy's 1899 premiership side.

Essendon (VFL)
After a further two seasons at Fitzroy he crossed to Essendon where he played one final season.

Employment
He was employed by the Public Works Department for 48 years, the last 25 as engineer-in-charge at the Melbourne Law Courts.

Death
He died at his residence in Caulfield, Victoria on 23 August 1949.