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{xtypo_dropcap}T{/xtypo_dropcap}he name John Gerovich is synonymous with the art of high marking. His is a household name in Western Australian football, and the statue outside the gates at Fremantle Oval depicting his famous mark over East Fremantle’s Ray French captured by West Australian Newspapers photographer Morrie Hammond in the 1956 preliminary final is testament to the contribution he made to the sport and the high regard that the people of Fremantle have for a sportsman that gave them so much pleasure during his playing days.

But that mark was just one of many  that Gerovich took in similar spectacular fashion over his career. In those days, before the video cameras whirred continuously throughout the entire game, it wasn’t often that a “speccie” was captured on film, and Gerovich would take several in a single game. Many critics of the day regarded his leap over West Perth full back John Towner as his best.

But John Gerovich wasn’t just a one dimensional player. He was also a magnificent kick by either foot, could handpass with either hand, and was quick off the mark, which enabled him to play in positions other than full forward or centre half forward.  Playing in an era of mostly hard times for South Fremantle, he was moved around the ground on occasions in coaching moves in efforts to lift the side, including centre,ruck, and full back.  

From the Hilton Park juniors, Gerovich played his first league game in 1955 at the age of sixteen, along with another sixteen year old, John Todd. The club could not believe their good fortune in finding such readymade replacements for two out and out stars of the game in Steve Marsh and Bernie Naylor, and had high expectations of a return to the lofty heights they had enjoyed in the early fifties.  But even with the two stars, it was not to be.  South were runners up in his second year, but that was to be the closest John Gerovich got to a premiership.  

He kicked one goal from only five kicks at centre half forward against Claremont on debut, but impressed enough to be selected again the following week. Four goals was his return against Subiaco, then seven a fortnight later in a win over Swan Districts, and the teenager had found his feet in league football.

John Gerovich went on to play 221 games for South Fremantle, and thirteen for Western Australia, including the 1961 Brisbane Carnival, before injury caused his retirement in 1969.  He headed the WAFL goalkicking list on three occasions, and surprisingly, only achieved the three figure goal tally in one season..1960, with 101. But it must be pointed out that he played a lot of his career at centre half forward, and South Fremantle were far from a top side for the bulk of his playing days.

Gerovich was also a restless footballer, who enjoyed being in the play, and it wasn’t in his nature to be content to be a punching bag for opposing full backs. He could give out as much physical stuff as he copped, and fronted the Tribunal occasionally.  

Although his kicking for goal was generally accurate, he did have lapses in concentration resulting in inaccuracy, one day kicking 10 goals 12 behinds from 30 odd possessions.  

Todd said of his old team mate: “His career was a long period of turbulent brilliance. He was a freak, and often made my game look better than it was.” South Fremantle coach for part of Gerovich’s career, Marty McDonnell, who, when with Footscray had played on the Victorian champion full forward John Coleman, remarked, “Gerovich is the most sensational full forward I’ve seen in Australia.”

His career lapsed in it’s latter years, due partly to injury and partly to frustration at the loss of his former prowess, the latter being in no small way a result of the former. During his career he copped more than his share of broken limbs and among his many injuries were a fractured skull, broken collarbone, broken ankle, cracked ribs, and a badly corked leg which calcified and led to a threat of amputation.   A ruptured Achilles tendon in 1969 was the catalyst for his retirement that year.

John Gerovich was one of the biggest drawcards in WA football during his career.

There is nothing that can match the spectacular high mark to keep the turnstiles clicking, and there has never been a better aerialist  than John Gerovich. In many junior and senior football sides throughout the State during and since he graced the stage of the WANFL the number 9 has been in high demand, especially for those who fancied themselves as a full forward or a high mark.

John Gerovich is a member of the Western Australian Football Hall Of Fame.

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