Alan Joyce (born 21 October 1942) is a former
Australian rules footballer who after playing 49 games for
Hawthorn became a premiership winning coach for the club. Originally from
Glen Iris Glen Iris may refer to:
*Glen Iris, Victoria, Australia
*Glen Iris, Western Australia
A glen is a valley, typically one that is long and bounded by gently sloped concave sides, unlike a ravine, which is deep and bounded by steep slopes. Whit ...
, Joyce played in the ruck for Hawthorn, and ultimately gained life membership in 1996.
In 1966 Joyce was appointed captain-coach of
Preston, leading them to the 1968 and 1969 premierships in the
VFA. He played 92 games and kicked 228 goals.
Joining
East Fremantle
East or Orient is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth.
Etymology
As in other languages, the word is formed from the fac ...
as coach
in 1971 and 1972, Joyce rebuilt a side that had suffered between 1967 and 1970 through its leanest era since formation to a premiership in 1974. He then coached Newtown and the NSW state team in 1974, and then returned to Old Easts
in 1977 after the club had had two disappointing seasons. In his first season back, Joyce took East Fremantle to a Grand Final where they were unfortunately thrashed, but the blue and whites struggled
in 1978 and despite being full of admiration for his players’ efforts Joyce resigned at the end of that season. He moved
to Perth in 1980. His stint at Perth was a severe failure, as the Demons, a WAFL powerhouse from 1947 to 1978, won only ten games out of forty-two in Joyce's two years as coach and finished bottom of the ladder
in 1981 for the first time
since 1935, in the process setting a record for the highest average points "Against" in WA(N)FL history.
In 1988 when incumbent coach
Allan Jeans
Allan Lindsay Jeans (21 September 1933 – 13 July 2011) was an Australian rules footballer and coach. He was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame at its inception in 1996. Jeans was known for his oratory and motivation skills as ...
became ill due to a
brain tumour, Joyce replaced
Jeans for the season.
Hawthorn completely dominated the season from May onwards and finished on top of the ladder by four and a half games before disposing of
Carlton in the Semi-Final and demolishing
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
by a then-record margin of 96 points
in the Grand Final.
Allan Jeans
Allan Lindsay Jeans (21 September 1933 – 13 July 2011) was an Australian rules footballer and coach. He was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame at its inception in 1996. Jeans was known for his oratory and motivation skills as ...
would return to coach
in 1989, before retiring after Hawthorn's defeat by Melbourne in the 1990 Elimination Final.
Alan Joyce returned for
the 1991 season to coach
Hawthorn to another premiership, this time over the
West Coast Eagles
The West Coast Eagles are a professional Australian rules football club based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 as one of two expansion teams in the Australian Football League (AFL), then known as the Victorian Football L ...
, who during the home and away season had lost only three games, plus an additional loss to Hawthorn in the first week of the finals.
In 1992 Hawthorn was eliminated by
West Coast in week 1 of the finals. Similarly
in 1993, Hawthorn was beaten by the
Adelaide Crows
The Adelaide Crows (officially the Adelaide Football Club) are a professional Australian rules football team based in Adelaide, South Australia. Founded in 1990. The Crows has fielded a men's team in the Australian Football League (AFL) since ...
in week 1 of the 1993 finals series. Joyce was soon sacked and replaced by Hawthorn club legend
Peter Knights
Peter Knights (born 30 March 1952) is a former Australian rules footballer and coach who represented in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Widely regarded as one of Australian football's finest centre half-backs, despite suffering numerous in ...
.
After two rounds
of the 1994 season,
Footscray sacked then-coach
Terry Wheeler
Terry Wheeler (born 13 March 1955) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for and coached Footscray in the Australian Football League.
Wheeler played as a defender during his 157-game career for Footscray from 1974 to 1983.
The ...
following a heavy loss to
Geelong. Joyce replaced
Wheeler and coached
Footscray into 5th spot at the completion of the home and away round.
Footscray would lose the Qualifying Final to
Geelong due to an after-the-siren goal by
Billy Brownless
Anthony William Brownless (born 28 January 1967) is a former Australian rules footballer and radio and television media personality who represented in the Australian Football League (AFL) during the 1980s and 1990s.
Early life
Brownless was ...
. Footscray would meet Melbourne during week two, but owing to injuries and an in-form
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
for whom
Garry Lyon
Garry Peter Lyon (born 13 September 1967) is a former professional Australian rules football player and was captain of the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Since his retirement from football, he has been mainly ...
became the first player since
Ron Todd to kick ten goals in a final, the Bulldogs were beaten comprehensively.
In 1995, Joyce coached Footscray to seventh position at the completion of the home and away season.
Footscray once again met the
Geelong at night at the
MCG
The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), also known locally as "The 'G", is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne, Victoria. Founded and managed by the Melbourne Cricket Club, it is the largest stadium in the Southern Hem ...
. This time however, the Bulldogs were convincingly beaten and eliminated from the finals. Footscray tumbled severely
in 1996 and after many heavy losses and few wins, Joyce was sacked and replaced by his assistant,
Terry Wallace
Terry Wallace (born 13 December 1958) is a former professional Australian rules football player and coach.
As a player, his career spanned three VFL/AFL clubs; most notably Hawthorn where he played in three premierships. After one season with ...
. Wallace would retain this position until after round 21 of the 2002 season.
Joyce has not since coached an AFL club, although he sent a video of himself to major news stations stating his interest in the available
Fremantle coaching role due to
Gerard Neesham
Gerard Joseph Neesham (born 11 December 1954) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Sydney Swans in the Victorian Football League (VFL) and for the East Fremantle Football Club, Swan Districts Football Club and Clarem ...
's departure in 1998.
After football Joyce spent several years operating a business at Cable Beach near
Broome, Western Australia.
Recently he has been a volunteer at the
MCG
The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), also known locally as "The 'G", is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne, Victoria. Founded and managed by the Melbourne Cricket Club, it is the largest stadium in the Southern Hem ...
.
External links
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References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Joyce, Alan
1942 births
Australian rules footballers from Victoria (Australia)
East Fremantle Football Club coaches
Hawthorn Football Club players
Hawthorn Football Club coaches
Hawthorn Football Club Premiership coaches
Perth Football Club coaches
Western Bulldogs coaches
Preston Football Club (VFA) players
Preston Football Club (VFA) coaches
Living people
Two-time VFL/AFL Premiership coaches