Jim Mooring, a member of Carlton’s infamous “Bloodbath” premiership team of 1945, has died in Bendigo, aged 90.
Jim poses.jpg
Mooring, a 126-game Carlton best and fairest, was the 551st player to have represented the Blues at senior level. He took out his club’s best first year player award in 1940, and was later acknowledged as best clubman and leading goalkicker in 1944.

James Teague Mooring was born on October 14, 1917, one of five children raised by James and Ellen Mooring. Originally hailing from Piangil near Swan Hill, Jim later lived in Creswick. A sublimely-skilled rover/centreman renowned as a delightful exponent of the drop kick, he gave Carlton ten years of loyal service, turning out for the Blues for the last time in the 1949 Grand Final.

Jim Clark, named on a half-back flank in the ’45 Grand Final, spoke glowingly of his old teammate, who played his part in that revered 28-point victory witnessed by almost 63,000 people who somehow crammed into the Carlton ground.

“There were none better to have ever graced the earth. He was one out of the box. A more idyllic person you couldn’t have got to know,” Clark said.

“He was as good a rover that ever played. I played on a few of them – Dick Reynolds, Billy Hutchison and that little bludger Lou Richards – and Jim Mooring was in Bob Rose’s class.

“There wasn’t a vicious bone in Jim’s body, but woe betide anybody who tried him out. He was as game as Ned Kelly . . . there was no fear in him.”

Mooring died at St John of God Hospital in Bendigo on Saturday. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Eileen, daughters Kerry and Kath, sons-in-law Kevin Angove and Mike Ryan, seven grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

Ryan said this week that Mooring’s overriding memory of the Bloodbath involved South Melbourne’s full-back, the late “Gentleman” Jim Cleary.

“Jim used to say that although Jim Cleary got rubbed out for hitting him, he gave Jim Cleary one back and never got reported,” Ryan said.

Nineteen Carlton players (Charley McInnes was the 19th man) represented the Blues in the 1945 Bloodbath at Princes Park. With Mooring’s passing, the surviving members are Jim Clark, Ken Hands, Alex Way and Doug Williams.

The Blueseum encourages all readers of this article to review Mooring's Blueseum biography. It contains real input from members of Mooring's family, and contains a photo gallery second to none.

Blueseum: Mooring's Blueseum Biography