Career
In 1892 they both tried to move to Collingwood. Jim was unsuccessful and instead played for Richmond. Jim finally made it to Collingwood in 1897 in the inaugural year of the Victorian Football League.
The son of James Dowdall and Isabella McGowan, Jim was, like brother Harry, small of stature and lightly built.
Newspaper reports of the time spell his name (and Harry"s) variously as Dowdell/Dowdall. Dowdall is correct.