John Leonard – Hall of Fame Card
John Leonard returned to Perth in 1933 for employment, he embarked on a further successful coaching period. He steered West Perth to successive premierships in 1934 and 1935. Leonard was asked to return to South Melbourne at the end of 1936, but business prevented him moving to Victoria. Staying in Perth, Leonard coached West Perth for another season, and then moved to coach a highly talented Claremont team to three consecutive premierships. After World War II, Leonard was again appointed as Claremont coach for the 1946 Season after no one else could be found, but business commitments meant he had to leave most of the work to deputy Jack Reeves and the Tigers won only three matches. Seven years later, Leonard was asked at the age of fifty to re-take the coaching reins at South Melbourne, but his business in a football-making factory took up all of his time and he could not accept.
Leonard was inducted to the Australian Hall of Fame as a coach in 1996 – one year after his death.
