Glen Jakovich

Glen Jakovich
Personal information
Full name Glen Darren Jakovich
Nickname(s) Jako
Date of birth (1973-03-24) 24 March 1973
Original team(s) South Fremantle
Height / weight 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) / 100 kg
Position(s) Centre half-back
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1991–2004 West Coast Eagles 276 (60)
Representative team honours
Years Team Games (Goals)
1990–1998 Western Australia 9 (3)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2004.
Career highlights

Glen Darren 'Jako' Jakovich (born 24 March 1973) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League (AFL).

Jakovich was recruited from South Fremantle in the West Australian Football League (WAFL), where he became a regular senior player at centre half-forward at sixteen[1] and played his fiftieth match at eighteen.[2] In 1990, he played a total of 46 matches for his school, Hamilton Senior High School, South Fremantle, and the Western Australian state side at three levels; under-19s in the Teal Cup, and the Western Australia State of Origin team.[3]

He debuted for the Eagles in 1991 and played for the club in the centre half-back position and the number 27 guernsey. He was selected in that position in the All-Australian team of 1994 and 1995.

He was notable for his duels with rival centre half-forward, North Melbourne Football Club's Wayne Carey. Carey was considered to be one of the best of all time, and the contests between these two were highly anticipated events on the football calendar.[4]

After undergoing a knee reconstruction in 1996 he was unable to recapture his superlative form of the previous three years. Although still able to win his club's best and fairest award in 2000, he was not the imposing player of the past.

His brother Allen Jakovich was a full-forward for the Melbourne Football Club. During their career, the two brothers lined up against each other on more than one occasion. Another brother, Gary, had played with South Fremantle during the early 1980s.[1] Glen was taller than his brother at 193 cm, but at 100 kg, both brothers were similarly solid in build.

In 2003, Jakovich was selected as the Australia international rules football team's goalkeeper for the 2003 International Rules Series in Australia.[5] Although the series was tied at one test win apiece, Australia won the series with a 101–94 aggregate score.

Glen Jakovich retired from football in 2004, kicking three goals in a win over Sydney Swans in his last game.[6] Jakovich was the Eagles' games played record holder from 2003, when he overtook Guy McKenna's 267 games, until Dean Cox surpassed him in 2014.[7]

Jakovich was an expert commentator on Fox Sports and 882 6PR, but now broadcasts from Western Australia for 1116 SEN Melbourne.

In 2008 he was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame[8] and the West Australian Football Hall of Fame.[9] He was an inaugural inductee in the West Coast Eagles Hall of Fame in 2011.[10]

Jakovich is married to Emily and they have three children. He is a second generation Australian of Croatian heritage.

References

  1. 1 2 Stocks, Gary; "Jakovich Pedigree Breeds a Bulldog"; The West Australian, 17 April 1989, p. 141
  2. ↑ Lague, Steve; "King's Move Proves a Winner for Royals"; The West Australian, 27 May 1991, p. 80
  3. ↑ "WAFL Players: Glen Jakovich(South Fremantle)".
  4. ↑ Quartermain, Glen (28 June 2013). "Glen Jakovich and Wayne Carey clash once more in charity game". PerthNow.
  5. ↑ O'Rourke, Colm (26 October 2003). "Huge crowd shows up, pity the Irish team didn't".
  6. ↑ MacSmith, James (16 May 2004). "Jako day as Swans lose four in a row".
  7. ↑ Butler, Steve (5 April 2014). "Inspiring journey from Dampier to the MCG".
  8. ↑ "Kevin Sheedy, Glen Jakovich join AFL's Hall of Fame". 9 May 2008.
  9. ↑ "WA Football Hall of Fame Inductees: Glen Jakovich".
  10. ↑ "Malthouse, Worsfold earn Hall of Fame nods". 6 August 2011.
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