Jack Perkins (footballer)

John Thomas Perkins (20 January 1903 – 12 May 1955) was an Australian rules footballer who played with St Kilda in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

Family
The son of David Perkins (1871-1939), and Julia Perkins (1876-1957), née Looney, John Thomas Perkins was born at Chiltern Valley, Victoria on 20 January 1903.

He married Ivy Best (1903-1977) in 1929.

Port Melbourne (VFA)
He played several games for Port Melbourne, before transferring to Northcote.

Northcote (VFA)
Perkins, a centre half-back, spent most of his career at Northcote, in the Victorian Football Association (VFA).

VFA Tribunal
He was de-registered by the VFA in 1933 following incidents in the first round of the VFA season. He had already been given lengthy suspension on three previous occasions for on-field violence: "for four weeks in 1925, for 11 weeks in 1929, and for almost the entire season in 1931".

Despite not having been re-registered by the VFA, he made two appearances in 1934 for the Northcote seconds. Following a complaint over his eligibility to play in the seconds, Perkins' case was brought to the Association Permit and Umpire Committee. He was eventually re-registered -- and, therefore, allowed to play in the seconds -- but, instead, he applied for a transfer to St Kilda.

St Kilda (VFL)
Already 31 years of age, Perkins made his debut for St Kilda, as a ruckman, in the ninth round of the 1934 VFL season.

He played in a combined Victorian Police Association side, against a combined Western District Football League side, at Hanlon Park on 6 October 1934; and he represented Victoria against Bendigo in 1935.

He was St Kilda's club captain in 1936; however, as a policeman, he was forced to retire after three VFL seasons, following a declaration by the new Police Commissioner, Alexander Duncan, that members of the Victorian police force could not play professional football.

VFL Tribunal
He was suspended for 4 weeks for striking in September 1934; and was found not guilty of kicking in July 1936.

Death
He died at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, in Parkville, Victoria, on 12 May 1955.