Full name James Toohey, Sr. Years Club Weight 93 kg Position(s) Half forward flank Died April 11, 1980 | Height/Weight 183 cm / 93 kg Role Sr. Date of birth 23 July 1886 Name Jim Sr. | |
Date of death 11 April 1980(1980-04-11) (aged 93) Original team North Fremantle Football Club | ||
James John Toohey (23 July 1886 – 11 April 1980) was an Australian rules footballer who played in Western Australia and with Fitzroy in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
Jim Toohey was born in Footscray, the eldest son of James Toohey and Jane Ralph. When he was eight, the family moved to Western Australia and he commenced his football career in 1904 playing in the Perth “first rate junior” league with Claremont (not the current WAFL club) before joining North Fremantle Football Club at the start of the 1905 WAFL season. After two years with North Fremantle he joined Mines Rovers in the Goldfields Football Association where he established himself as a leading player over four seasons with the club. He returned to North Fremantle in 1911 and played for two years before Fitzroy lured him back to Victoria.
After appearing in the opening two rounds of the 1913 VFL season, Toohey left Fitzroy to coach Stawell. He returned in round seven and was a half forward flanker in Fitzroy's premiership team that year. In 1914 he kicked 38 goals, seven of them against a weak University team in the middle of the season. Toohey's career best tally was the fifth highest in the league that year. He also played in their losing 1917 VFL Grand Final side, as a centre half back.
Toohey enlisted to serve in late 1916, but did not depart Australia until early 1918 and after serving in France returned to Australia in late 1919. He resumed his VFL career with Fitzroy in the 1920 VFL season.
Two of Toohey's sons, Jim, and Jack were also league footballers at Fitzroy.