John (Jack) Cragg was born in Newcastle-on-Tyne and had arrived in Adelaide by 1913. He played with the Tandanya soccer club in that year, and when the Tans folded he switched to North Adelaide in 1914. Described as a “clever half back”, he won the league with North in 1914 and played until June 1915.
He joined the AIF in May 1915 but continued to play for North for several weeks while on leave from training camp. Giving his occupation as “engineer” he was 31 years old and single. He served with the 1st Field Ambulance in France and in convalescent hospitals in England, not being discharged until December 1919.
Jack Cragg continued to play soccer in Adelaide with North and Prospect. He was playing for Imperials in 1924 at the age of 40. A newspaper report in 1923 mentioned that the Cragg brothers were playing on with North Adelaide, and it is likely that his younger brother was Tom Cragg who became captain of SA Railways and played until the mid 1930s.