Glen Jakovich
A colossal West Coast Eagles defender whose physical dominance and peerless partnership formed the bedrock of two premierships.
Born 1973 (age 53)·Australian rules footballer, born 1973·Birthday: March 24·Generation X
Biography
In the pantheon of Australian rules football defenders, Glen Jakovich stands as a monolith. For over a decade, the West Coast Eagles' backline was his domain, a place where opposing forwards came to be subdued. Possessing immense strength and a fierce competitive streak, 'Jako' was the prototype of the modern key defender. His career is inextricably linked with fellow great John Worsfold; together they formed a defensive wall that was fundamental to the Eagles' success in the 1990s. Jakovich won four club best-and-fairest awards, a remarkable feat for a backman, undersconing his consistency and value. His duels with champion forwards like Wayne Carey became the stuff of legend, battles of will and power that he often won. He retired as a two-time premiership player and a true icon of the club he never left.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Glen was born in 1973, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Glen Was Born
The biggest hits of 1973
#1 Movie
The Exorcist
Best Picture
The Sting
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Glen's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1973Born
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1978Started school
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1986Became a teenager
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Could drive
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1991Could vote
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Turned 21
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2003Turned 30
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 40
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 50
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 53 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won two AFL premierships with the West Coast Eagles in 1992 and 1994.
- Awarded the West Coast Eagles Club Champion award (best and fairest) four times (1993, 1994, 1995, 2000).
- Played 276 games for the West Coast Eagles, holding the club games record at the time of his retirement.
- Inducted into the West Coast Eagles Hall of Fame in 2011 and the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2017.
Did You Know?
He is the older brother of former Fremantle Dockers player and coach, Brad Jakovich.
Jakovich famously broke his nose nine times during his playing career.
He was selected at pick 21 in the 1990 AFL Draft, considered one of the great bargains in league history.
“My role was simple: stop the best forward, no matter what it took.”
