Jack Dunn was one of the greatest centre half backs of his time, a glorious high mark and a strong kick.
Jack Dunn first learnt the game while at Queen's College in Hobart and before joining North Hobart in 1909 played for Brisbane Rovers later known as Standfast.
His brother Charlie was already one of North's star players and when Jack followed him to North he played his first senior game in 1910 aged 15.
It was the beginning of a career that would span 20 years of football in Tasmania.
He missed only two games in first senior season and played his first North vs South game at Launceston in 1911. In 1913 Jack Dunn was selected in his first representative match for the TFL against the NTFA and from then on he rarely missed selection in these games. The results were - June 20th Hobart - TFL 9.12.68 defeated NTFA 5.9.39 before a crowd of 9,000. In the return game the NTFA gained the victory before a crowd of 8,000 in Launceston scoring 7.15.57 to the TFL 8.7.55.
He was still in his teens when he gained selection to play for Tasmania at the 1914 Sydney Carnival.
The 1914 TFL and State Premiers - North Hobart. Jack Dunn is pictured fourth from the right in the second row. His brother Charlie who was captain is pictured holding the ball in the middle of the front row. William Leitch is pictured on the left of the second row.
Also that year he was part of the famous 1914 North Hobart TFL and State premiership side. The TFL premiership decider between North Hobart and Cananore was one of the most rough and spiteful games on record.
The game was reported by "Forward" in the Tasmanian Mail as follows " The attendance at the game was approximately 5000, but the weather conditions and football were poor and from the point of view of sportsmanship, a disgraceful exhibition.
No fewer than four times the game was actually stopped because of fights between players of the opposing sides. In a couple of instances players were knocked down by blows and certain players hardly lost an opportunity to use their elbows in a cowardly fashion.
Both sides were to blame but North Hobart were the chief transgressors, since they started the unpleasant tactics, and in the last quarter only got what they were looking for. From the first bell it was a hard bumping strenuous game, with little real football. Even a section of the spectators became infected with the prevailing pugilistic spirit, and tow fights of considerable dimensions broke outside the boundary chains. As a result five players, three from Cananore and two from North Hobart were reported to the League , although why a third North Hobart player did not suffer the same fate it is quite impossible to say.
North showed an aggressive spirit from the start and built up a handy lead in the first quarter, Cananore fought back, but during the third quarter, North Hobart playing much stronger and more effective football put the issue beyond doubt and were never afterwards threatened, winning by 14 points - 7.4.49 to 4.11.35. "
The following week North Hobart defeated City for the State premiership
The competition was abandoned after this season due to the outbreak of the first world war and was not resumed until 1919.
After the first world war he rejoined North in 1919.
In 1920 he was appointed captain of North Hobart, a position he held from 1920 to 1923 then again from 1925 to 1926 and 1928 to 1929.
Following a bad start to the season North Hobart went on to win six of the eleven matches it played, winning the minor premiership then meeting Lefroy in the grand final on August 28th 1920. During the match Jack Dunn played well throughout and his marking was up to its usual standard. North beat Lefroy by 20 points 10.12.72 to Lefroy 6.16.52.
On September 28th an unchanged North side took on Launceston in Launceston for the State premiership. In front of 5000 spectators including two trainloads of North Hobart supporters, a close and hard fought game was played out with Launceston leading by two points at half time, North by three at three quarter time but in the last quarter North ran all over their opponents winning 7.8.50 to 2.14.26.
The winners were congratulated by the captain of the Launceston team and Jack Dunn was carried shoulder high from the ground amid cheers from the crowd.
The 1920 North Hobart TFL and State premiership team. Jack Dunn is pictured sitting in the middle of the front row.
In 1923 North Hobart again won the TFL premiership playing New Town in the grand final before a crowd of 6000 at North Hobart Oval on 22nd September.
Jack Dunn was North Hobart's most useful player marking well on the forward line and kicking three goals. When he was placed at half back he defended solidly. The final score was North Hobart 10.9.69 to New Town 7.6.48.
North Hobart players and supporters in 1923. Jack Dunn is pictured fourth from left in the front row.
On the 20th October North Hobart played North Launceston at North Hobart Oval for the State premiership in front of a crowd of 8000. Following a "strenuous and thrilling contest" (at one stage hundreds of spectators invaded the ground after a clash between Jack Dunn and Hughes of North Launceston) North Hobart emerged the victors. Final score - North Hobart 20.13.133 d North Launceston 18.8.116.
In 1920 he was appointed captain of the TFL team and while he was in that position no TFL team under him suffered defeat.
In 1927 he transferred to Devonport, his team being defeated by Burnie in the NWFU grand final. He also captained the union that season when they won the triangular competition for the first time, suffering only one defeat in four games to the TFL at Hobart.
The 1928 TFL premiers - North Hobart. Jack Dunn is pictured at the head of the line. Allan Rait is also in the team fifth from the head of the line.
Returning south the following season Jack Dunn rejoined North Hobart coaching them until the end of the 1929 season. He took them to the TFL premiership in 1928, the first since 1923. The Mercury reported the premiership as follows " The last occasion on which they won the premiership was in 1923 when they were coached by the immaculate P J Martyn and captained by J Dunn who has so capably filled the dual positions of captain coach this seasons team. In the intervening period the committee has built up the strength of the team giving the young players every opportunity and persevering with them until they made good. Much of their success has been due to the capable leadership of J
Dunn who has been untiring in his efforts to produce the premiership team. Their achievement was a most convincing one. "
The match was played against Lefroy at North Hobart Oval on 8th September with the scores North Hobart 11.20.86 d Lefroy 8.8.56.
In 1929 North Hobart had another successful season winning eleven out of fifteen matches. The team met Lefroy in the grand final on the 28th September at North Hobart Oval before a crowd of 10020, a new game record.
Scores at both quarter and halftime were level. In the second half North dominated the game in almost every position, showing marked supremacy in the air, to run out winners 9.15.69 to Lefroy 7.12.54. Dunn kicked a goal and his display was considered to be reminiscent of his best days.
He again kicked a goal when they met Launceston at North Hobart for the State premiership decider on October 12th. After ' an intensely exciting finish ' North Hobart won by nine points 11.12.78 to Launceston 9.15.69.
In 1930 he again moved north and, while working on the Perth bridge, played with Longford in the NTFA.
He played in representative teams that visited South Australia on two occasions in 1923-4, New South Wales twice 1914 & 1921 and Victoria twice 1926-7.
He was a member of that famous Tasmanian team that defeated South Australia in Adelaide in 1923 at Adelaide Oval 14.14.98 to 9.12.66 and was captain for the return match in 1925.
The 1923 Tasmanian team - Jack Dunn is pictured third from left in the front row. Horrie Gorringe is first on the left in the same row. Jack Charlesworth is pictured fourth from left in the third row and Adrian Leitch is pictured second from right in the same row.
Jack Dunn (jumper number 15) was named one of two vice captains in North Hobart's team of the century after playing 187 games for the club. He won the best and fairest award in 1920 and 1921, won five TFL premierships and 4 State premierships and represented the TFL and Tasmania 6 times.
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