Three Premiership medals from the fabled Machine team era, belonging to livewire forward John ‘Jiggy’ Harris, have been donated to the Collingwood Football Club by his family.
Harris was an integral part of three Magpie flags, in 1928, ’28 and ’29. He didn’t actually play in the 1929 Grand Final – a controversial decision that ended up pushing him to cross to Hawthorn – but he still played a huge part in the most successful home-and-away season on record.
‘Jiggy’, so known because of his seeming inability to stand still, was a hugely popular figure at Collingwood. He was cheeky, funny and outgoing. The same sort of personality came through in his football, which was based heavily around his trickery and evasiveness. Combined with his size – or lack of it – he became a crowd favourite; the fans loved it when he would trick or twist around an opponent and make him look silly.
He came to Victoria Park from Brighton in 1925, initially playing mostly as a winger. He soon became a regular fixture in the team. "So consistent has his play been that he has rarely bad to lower his colours to an opponent," wrote the Sporting Globe after the 1926 season ended. "His spectacular dashes, and the manner in which he weaves his way through a bunch of players, has caused his opponents many anxious moments. His elusiveness and ability to extricate himself from a dangerous position by a piece of brilliance, or a clever manoeuvre, has proved of wonderful value to the team. Though light and small, he is never afraid to dive into the bunch for the ball, and though often knocked down, comes up smiling for more.”
In late 1926 he was moved to the half-forward flank, and that’s when he really came into his own, working beautifully with both centre half-forward Frank Murphy and full-forward Gordon Coventry. His football smarts and natural evasiveness made him a dangerous small forward, and he quickly established a reputation as one of the trickiest and cleverest half-forwards in the competition.
He was a star across 1927-29, and it was a shock when he was dropped for the 1929 Grand Final. He enjoyed his subsequent time at Hawthorn but returned to Collingwood after and remained involved there in a variety of roles – including at board level, and with the Past Players Association – until 1978.
His daughter Judy Reddish passed away not that long ago, but her husband John and the rest of her family have made sure the medals have come home to Collingwood. Beautifully framed, there are medals from the 1927, ’28 and ’29 Premierships (he received one despite not playing in the Grand Final), as well as his Collingwood Life Membership medallion and Past Players Life membership medallion.
We extend our deep thanks and appreciation to Judy, John and the rest of the family for their generous donation. ‘Jiggy’ was a huge figure at Collingwood over many years, and we’re honoured to have been able to add his medals into our collection.
