- John Beveridge died after battling illness
- Widely regarded as an elite football recruiter.
- Previously awarded life membership of St Kilda
The AFL industry, and especially St Kilda, is in mourning following the death of recruiting guru John Beveridge.
He died Thursday after a long battle with the disease at age 85.
Widely regarded as one of the best recruiters in VFL/AFL history, Beveridge’s hand-picked hits include Saints legends Nick Riewoldt, Brendon Goddard, Justin Koschitzke, Nick Dal Santo and Leigh Montagna.
While they failed to win a flag, the quintet were key figures in the club’s resurgence, which included a grand final defeat, in a replay at the MCG, in 2010 against Collingwood.
St Kilda chief executive Carl Dilena paid tribute to the club’s identity, whose son is Western Bulldogs premiership-winning coach Luke Beveridge.
“John’s impact on our club has been felt for generations and there is no doubt he is among the best recruiters Australian football has ever seen,” Dilena said.
“His ability to see a recruit’s potential as a footballer and as a person was second to none.
“We send our love and condolences to everyone who had the pleasure of knowing John throughout his journey, and we thank him for everything he did for our club and our community.”
The AFL industry, and in particular St Kilda, is in mourning following the death of recruiting guru John Beveridge (pictured).
John Beveridge is widely regarded as one of the greatest recruiters in VFL/AFL history (pictured at a training session in St Kilda)
His son is Western Bulldogs premiership-winning coach Luke Beveridge (pictured left, in his playing days).
Beveridge was welcomed to St Kilda in 1965 having previously worked as a statistician for Footy Week magazine.
He quickly moved into recruitment, where he became a key figure at the club for several decades.
Beveridge was previously honored with life membership of St Kilda, with the AFL also recognizing his contribution to the game in 2021 with the Jack Titus Service Award.
The Western Bulldogs also paid tribute to Beveridge.
“The club sends its condolences to Luke and the entire Beveridge family following the loss of his father John,” a statement read.
‘He was a revered recruiter for St Kilda with his football career spanning more than five decades.
‘Okay John Beveridge.’