'Master tactician': St Kilda mourn loss of recruiting legend John Beveridge
The AFL world is again mourning the loss of a gun recruiter, after St Kilda legend John Beveridge lost a long battle with illness. He was 85.
Beveridge, the father of Bulldogs coach Luke, was involved in the game for more than 50 years and regarded as one of the best recruiters.
The news comes barely a week after Richmond announced the passing of its recruitment boss Chris Toce, who also did a stint at the Saints.
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Beveridge was largely responsible for drafting club legends Nick Riewoldt, Brendon Goddard, Justin Koschitzke, Luke Ball, Max Hudghton and Nick Dal Santo among others.
St Kilda recruitment boss John Beveridge on the look out for new signings in 2004. Ray Kennedy/The Age
Hudghton described Beveridge as a "master tactician", and revealed he'd been on the verge of signing for Essendon before Beveridge caught wind of it.
"I spoke to all these clubs but never ever heard from Johnny. I think he had been doing all this research on me and he didn't want to alert everyone that St Kilda was interested," he said in a tribute published by the club.
"It's a game of poker. Essendon was all over me and they were going to draft me.
"On draft day, Sheedy asked (then Lions chief executive) Andrew Ireland why Brisbane hadn't been interested in me. Ireland said Hudghton hasn't come on this year, we don't reckon he's in the top 10.
"Sheedy went to the draft table and told Noel Judkins (their top recruiter) that they wanted Daniel McAllister. Johnny got wind of it and thought they would grab me.
"Johnny had never said a word to me. He rang me after the draft and welcomed me. I said he had bamboozled me because he hadn't been in contact. He said never mind Max, I had people working behind the scenes.
"He had it all going on, the master tactician ... I have always had a great relationship with the family. He was a great man. I have so many great memories of Johnny."
AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon said Beveridge made an "enormous contribution" to the game and described him as a "huge promoter of young talent".
John was first involved at St Kilda back when the great Allan Jeans was coach, and devoted a lifetime to searching for the next great talented player for our game, and pushing them to achieve all they could," Mr Dillon said.
"John was beloved across football, but particularly at the Saints, and we send our best wishes to Luke and the Beveridge family, and John's many friends and colleagues across the industry who are mourning his loss."
