Jim Cleary (13 July 1914 – 2 May 1993) was an Australian rules footballer who played for South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Cleary played as a fullback and won two best and fairest awards for South Melbourne, in 1942 and 1944. He was a highly regarded player, and attracted lucrative offers – an undisclosed amount from Brighton in 1940, and £400 from Camberwell in 1945 – to cross to the Victorian Football Association during the throw-pass era, but chose to remain with South Melbourne.