Background
John Abley grew up in Melbourne.
John Abley grew up in Melbourne.
During the 1949 VFL season he played reserves football with Hawthorn Football Club but turned his back on a possible career with the club in the seniors when he moved to Adelaide, South Australia. Portuguese Adelaide officials, at the suggestion of Bob McLean, hastily arranged alternate accommodation in the hope of acquiring his services and Abley debuted for Portuguese Adelaide in 1950. A fullback, Abley first played in that position for Portuguese in a "Challenge match" in Broken Hill at the end of his debut season and after impressing was kept there for the remainder of his career.
Abley was a regular South Australian interstate representative and played a total of 23 games for his state.
On three occasions Abley was selected as an All-Australian for his performances at the carnivals, in 1956, 1958 and 1961. Abley died on 19 August 2011, aged 81, after a short illness.
In 1959, Abley was named as a life member of the Portuguese Adelaide Football Club because of his talent, his warmth off the field and being one of only six players to play in all of Portuguese Adelaide"s premierships in the 1950s (1951, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958 and 1959).