{xtypo_dropcap}J{/xtypo_dropcap}ohn Duckworth was one of the most flamboyant and exciting players to pull on a West Perth jumper, playing 120 league games in the Cardinal colours, plus three for Western Australia. 

 But despite him being a West Perth supporter, the garlic munchers had to wait some seven years for his services.

 After starring with Dudinin, winning the Sunday Times Medal for best and fairest in the Corrigin Football Association in 1969, he was amazingly rejected by East Perth on two occasions.  Duckworth began National Service  in 1970, and was posted to Puckapunyal, in Victoria.{xtypo_quote_left}I had contracted to play with West Perth for the 77 and 78 seasons, and asked for an extra 50 dollars a week to stay{/xtypo_quote_left}

The strapping young six foot four and fifteen stone Duckworth dropped into the Fitzroy club, looking for a game, and was signed by the Roys, debuting in the VFL in the 1970 season. With plenty of flair and character, he was an immediate hit with both the club and their supporters, during a career interrupted by Army postings, including Vietnam. Despite his commitments being to a large extent with the Army, resulting in many long absences, plus a year and a half after a serious car accident in 1972 and 3, he managed to chalk up fifty eight games, with most of those between 1974 and 1976, and was a member of Fitzroy's seconds premiership in 1974.

 Returning to his home State in 1977, John at last joined forces with West Perth, and didn't take long to win over the fans with his enthusiasm and dynamic approach to the game. Playing for Western Australia that year, he was fifth to Brian Peake for the Sandover Medal.

 On a trip to Perth in 1978 to recruit East Perth player, Geoff Gillies, several Central Districts officials stayed at the hotel Duckworth was managing, and got an inkling that John's relationship with the West Perth club was strained, so they quickly set about pulling out all stops to sign him.

 “I had contracted to play with West Perth for the 77 and 78 seasons, and asked for an extra $50 a week to stay on in 1979,” he explained. “ West Perth wouldn't pay it, Claremont made an offer to give me the extra fifty, and I was considering that bid. I was going to Melbourne on a personal visit, Centrals said to call in at Adelaide, sign a form four, then whatever decision I made they would honour.”

 “ As it turned out, West Perth sold me to Central Districts for twenty grand.” 

 In 1979, Duckworth took South Australian football by storm. In the words of Centrals coach, Darryl Hicks: “I doubt if a bigger, truer, or more real personality has ever played the game in South Australia.” 

Winner of the Magarey Medal in his first year in the SANFL, he also kicked forty one goals for Centrals to win their goalkicking award, with his strength, determination, and pace, along with his customary flair,  making him a standout centre half forward, and he was selected in the South Australian side on three occasions, each in a different key position, in both defence and attack. 

Disaster struck in 1980, however, with a ruptured kidney in round one which sidelined him for a third of that season. His form suffered as a result, and at the end of the year, at the age of thirty one, John told Centrals that he was heading home, triggering a clearance wrangle between the South Australian club and West Perth.

Playing once again at West Perth for three years, John retired at the close of the 1983 season, but made a comeback in 1985 to give assistance to coach John Wynne, becoming the only Vietnam Veteran to still be playing league football. He finally calling it quits after the 1985 season, having played 120 games with West Perth, 42 at Centrals, and 58 for Fitzroy, a total of 220 league appearances in three States, representing two of them at State level.

Such was the respect in which he was held at Central Districts, he was selected at centre half back in the club's official all time best side.

John Duckworth was utilised by the WANFL as a Teal Cup selector in 1987, before returning to the fray as captain coach of Dampier for three years, finally hanging up the boots at the age of forty one. He returned to Joondalup to mentor the West Perth reserves side in 1991, before taking over the reins at Wanneroo in 1993.

Rating Alex Jesaulenko as best he'd played against, John gave full points to Kevin Murray as best he'd played with.

These days, John plays a bit of golf, follows West Perth and the Brisbane Lions, and, with wife Marlene, is a keen grey nomad, getting away in the caravan whenever possible. His son plays with North Beach, who are coached by John's brother Billy, and has won four premierships.

John Duckworth was a Margarey Medalist, who represented Western Australia and South Australia, and  proved his worth as a key position player wherever he played.He was one of a kind, a character of the game, who drew fans into the gates in three States.

Football doesn't have any John Duckworth's now, and the game is the loser.