McCart

J. G. (George) McCart

One of the many journeyman footballers who were part of the VFL in the first decade of the 20th century, George McCart played four games with three clubs (Carlton, Melbourne and St Kilda) over an extended period of six seasons between 1905 and 1910.

Born in Dandenong in 1883, McCart represented Gippsland club Korumburra and VFA front-runners West Melbourne before arriving at Princes Park to try out with the Blues in 1905. In June of that year, Carlton coach Jack Worrall gave George his chance, and included him in the Blues line-up that met Geelong on a wet and windy Saturday afternoon at Princes Park in round 5.

Playing from a back pocket alongside Charlie Tough and another debutante in Jim Slater, McCart was apparently hardly sighted, even as the Blues coped better with the conditions and won by 12 points. George was omitted for the following week, and moved on later in the season.

Three years later in 1908, McCart popped up at Melbourne. He played his one and only match for the Fuchsias in an 18-point loss to Carlton in round 2, then crossed back to the VFA to join Essendon Town.

In 1909-10 Charlie turned up at St Kilda, where he managed two more senior games to finish off a career that was a tribute to persistence. He passed away at Camberwell on November 8, 1931, aged just 48.

1906 West Melbourne VFA premiers
George McCart is pictured in this team. Can anyone indentify him and Jim Neylan?