Photo: Joe Hanna celebrates a trophy win while with Hobart Juventus
Joe Hanna,
one of the stars of Tasmanian football, passed away in Hobart on Monday at the
age of 79.
Hanna came
to Tasmania in the mid-1960s from Northern Ireland and played initially for the
Rangers club in Hobart.
A
centre-half, he read the game well, tackled solidly and was always ideally
positioned to cut out attacks by the opposing side.
Photo: Joe Hanna (left), Michael Furjanic (Croatia-Glenorchy) and David Rae (Metro) at a cheque presentation by the league sponsor. Hanna was vice-captain of Juventus at the time.
He
transferred to Hobart Juventus and was a member of the Juventus team that won
its first league title in 1969 under coach Karl Schwesinger.
Hanna was
an integral part of the Juventus team for many seasons and won another league
title with them as well as representing Southern Tasmania and Tasmania.
He played
for Tasmania against English First Division side Cardiff City at Queenborough
in 1968. Cardiff won 5-1 and Tony Skaro
of Glenorchy Croatia scored Tasmania’s goal with a penalty.
Hanna also
played for Tasmania in 1971 against the visiting English FA XI before a crowd
of 4,500 at North Hobart Oval. The Englishmen
won 8-0 against a Tasmanian team coached by Duncan Summers.
Hanna was
rated the third best player in southern Tasmania in a poll taken in 1973.
P
Photo: Joe Hanna (left) with team-mates Colin West and Tommy Watson at the Hobart Juventus 50th anniversary dinner in 2006 [PlessPix]
He ended his playing says with PO Saints when he was in his 50s.
Hanna was a
quietly spoken man and was a gentleman both on and off the field. He worked as a custodial officer.
He was
passionate about the game and attended matches until recent years.
Photo: Joe Hanna watches the Grand Final at KGV Park on 11 September 2010 [PlessPix]
Photo: Joe Hanna (back row, third from right) in the Hobart Juventus side after their first title win in 1969, taken at South Hobart. Photo courtesy of Philip Owen (fifth from left in back row) and published in Chris Hudson's "A Century of Soccer (1898-1998: A Tasmanian History)".
Photo: Joe Hanna heads for goal in a Juventus v White Eagle game at South Hobart [Soccer Forum]
3 comments:
Walter. Joe was one of the best players in Hobart and one of the most difficult opponents I have ever faced when he played in that great Juventus team in the early seventies . He had a great ability to read the game and was always calm under pressure and very seldom put a foot wrong. A true gentleman who will be sadly missed by all .
A great player and a great guy. Vale Joe Hanna. Condolences to the family.
Well said Alistair.
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