A gold 'Australasian Football Council Honorary Life Member' medallion presented to J.J. Woods, Esq
A circular fob (27 mm in diameter; 11.3 gm), with convex sides, the obverse featuring an engraved and enamelled map of Australia and New Zealand (with the states of Australia in different colours), the reverse engraved with the award details, encircled with a band surmounted by a stylised scroll and ring bail, the band stamped '15 C'.
Both sides are a little rubbed near the centre, with some letters of the word 'Council' now faint; overall, in excellent condition.
Offered together with another two items: a voided gold 'SANFL Ltd' monogrammed fob (27 mm in diameter, with a small attached bail; hallmarked 'M.L.' and '15 C'; 4.9 gm); and a red-and-blue enamelled brass Norwood Football Club badge (18 mm in diameter, with almost all of the red enamel in the top third of the obverse broken away). The Australasian Football Council was the name of the national governing body for Australian rules football in Australia between 1906 and 1919. Until its function was superseded by the AFL Commission in 1995, it was also known as the Australian Football Council (1920-1927 and 1973-1975), the National Football League (NFL) (1975-1989), and the National Australian Football Council (NAFC) (1989-1995) (Wikipedia). John Joseph Woods (1865-1952) 'was Norwood's first coach, in 1909. He was also just about everything else to the club - six times premiership player as an accomplished follower, centreman and half-back, secretary, treasurer, SANFL delegate, benefactor and inspiration. One of four Woods brothers to play for Norwood in its heady early days, JJ made a success of everything he turned his hand to. In the mid-1920s, as Mayor of Kensington and Norwood, he was instrumental in the building of the Sir Edwin T. Smith Stand, which secured Norwood Oval as an SANFL venue. By then the tireless JJ, or Jack has he was also known, already had been a State player, State coach and manager, umpire for every interstate game between 1893 and 1899, chairman of the Australian National Football Council and deputy vice-chairman of the SANFL. He stayed on in the latter position until his death at 86 in 1952. Woods Street alongside Norwood Oval is named after JJ, and the club's Woods Medal for outstanding leadership and service honours the family name. But his brothers Ted, Julian and Charlie would admit that JJ was first when it came to Norwood, and Norwood came first for JJ' (Redlegs Museum). [3 items].
Item #119282
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Status: Reserved