Jack Oatey

Infobox afl player | firstname = Jack "Caleb"
lastname = Oatey , AM


birthdate = birth date|1920|8|29|df=y
birthplace =
originalteam = Norwood SANFL
heightweight = 168cm / 80kg
deathdate = death date and age|1994|2|26|1920|8|29|df=y
deathplace =
debutdate = 1940
debutteam = Norwod
debutopponent =
debutstadium =
playingteams =
Norwood (1940-1952)

181 games 233 goals

South Melbourne, VFL (1944)

5 games, 4 goals
coachingteams =
Norwood (1945-1952)

West Adelaide (1957-1960)

Sturt (1962-1982)
statsend = 2006
careerhighlights =

* Captain of Norwood, 8 years, four time best and fairest
* Playing member of 3 premiership teams at Norwood
* Coached Sturt to 7 premierships and Norwood 3 premierships
* Played 7 games for South Australia, captain 1949, 1950
* Coached South Australia, 2 years
* Jack Oatey Medal was named in his honour
* SANFL League Life Member
* SANFL Hall of Fame inductee (2002)
* AFL Hall of Fame inductee (1996)

Jack Oatey, AM (29 August 1920 – 26 February 1994) was a former Australian rules football player and coach.

Playing career

Oatey played 181 games for the Norwood Football Club between 1940 and 1952 and acted as playing-coach from 1945 to 1952.

While on service for World War II in 1944, he played 5 games for the South Melbourne Football Club.

Coaching career

Oatey coached West Adelaide from 1957-1960 and Sturt from 1962-1982, leading the league team to 7 SANFL Premierships (a record at the time) including the famous five in a row from 1966-1970.

A long-standing coaching rival to Port Adelaide's Fos Williams, Sturt defeated Port Adelaide four times in Grand Finals under Oatey's tutelage.

One of the instigators of the greater use of handball, which had been solely attributed to the VFL's Ron Barassi. He was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 1996.

Since 1981 the Jack Oatey Medal has been awarded for the best player in the SANFL grand final.

Extrernal links

* [http://stats.afl.com.au/public/statistics/playerseasonlist/15/1944/playerseasonlist_15_1944.shtml AFL (then VFL) Official Stats]
* [http://www.sanfl.com.au/default.aspx?s=historydisplay&aid=98180 SANFL Hall of Fame]