Wally Naismith (Fitzroy & Melbourne)

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Ron Nalder (Hawthorn)

Ron Nalder joined Hawthorn from Maryborough and gradually blossomed into an extremely useful player for the Hawks. Perhaps his principal asset was his adaptability, and during the early part of his career in particular, before he had cemented his spot in the side, he was often used to good effect as 19th or 20th man.  A case in point was the 1961 grand final victory over Footsc ray , to which Ron Nalder's contribution was restricted to a cameo appearance - but a worthy cameo appearance - off the bench.

Nalder's VFL career comprised 121 games between 1959 and 1966. He kicked 43 goals. Many of his best performances were made as a centreman, but he also produced good football across half back and half forward.

Mark Naley (South Adelaide & Carlton)

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At his peak between 1984 and 1987, Naley's explosive pace off the mark made him an extraordinarily difficult player for opposition taggers to contain.  He was a winner of South Adelaide's best and fairest award, the Knuckey Cup, in 1984, while in 1986 a conspicuously energetic display for South Australia against Victoria helped him to All Australian selection.

In 1987, Naley joined Carlton, and after taking a while to hit his straps he developed into a more than useful performer for the Blues in what became a premiership year.  His performance in the interstate match against Victoria was once again of the highest order, and this time earned him interstate football's highest individual accolade, the Tassie Medal.

Mark Naley remained with Carlton until 1990, but in his last couple of seasons he was struck by chronic hamstring complaints which greatly undermined his effectiveness.  On his return home to South Adelaide in 1991, however, he recaptured his best form, winning that season's Magarey Medal, before going on to give his club a number more years of sterling service.

After his retirement as a player, Mark Naley continued his involvement with football as a TV commentator.

He was included as a forward pocket and change rover in South Adelaide's official 'Greatest Team'.

Bruce Nankervis (Geelong)

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Initially, however, it looked as though he was going to fail to make the grade.  After playing for Geelong under 19s he returned, disappointed, to Barwon after being axed from the senior training squad.  A short while later, he returned to Geelong, but although he broke into the league side midway through the 1970 season he tended to live under the shadow of his brother for a time.  Things changed in 1973 when he was transformed by coach Graham Farmer from a half forward/half back flanker into an on-baller.  Determined, tenacious and persistent, Nankervis developed into a highly effective nullifier of opposing teams' star players.  He won back to back best and fairest awards in 1973-4 and was club captain for two years from 1976.  He also broke into the VFL representative team, and went on to make a total of 12 appearances, exactly the same number as brother Ian.  He retired at the end of the 1983 season after 253 VFL games.

Ian Nankervis (Geelong)

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A regular Big V representative (a dozen appearances), Ian Nankervis captained the state against Tasmania at Hobart in 1979, and was selected in the 1980 All Australian side.  He played for much of his league career alongside younger brother Bruce.

Footnotes

1.  Cats' Tales by Col Hutchinson, page 166.  Return to Main Text

Keith Narkle (Swan Districts)

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Like his brother, Keith Narkle represented Western Australia in the interstate arena, and was selected in Swan Districts' official 'Team of the Twentieth Century'.

Phil Narkle (Swan Districts, St Kilda, West Coast)

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After winning the Medallists Medal for fairest and best in the WANFL colts competition in 1977, Narkle made his league debut with Swans the following year.  His fleetness of foot, sure ball handling, and superb evasive ability immediately marked him out as a player with a big future, and over the next few years he became one of the bulwarks on which coach John Todd gradually constructed a champion side.

Always conspicuous owing to the helmet he wore after sustaining concussion five times in his debut season, Narkle caught the umpires' eyes repeatedly in 1982 to land the Sandover Medal.  He was also among the best players afield in that year's grand final as Swans trounced Claremont.

After playing in a second successive premiership team the following year, Narkle headed east where he joined St Kilda.  His first couple of seasons with the Saints saw his performances undermined by injury, but in his third and final season he played consistently well.  The following year saw him back in the west with newly formed VFL club West Coast, for whom he would manage just 18 games in three injury impeded seasons.  He did manage a memorable performance for West Australia, however, earning All Australian selection in 1987 after being close to best afield in a narrow home loss against the Victorians.

At his best, Phil Narkle was as scintillating to watch as any footballer of the past thirty years.  Had recurrent injury problems not undermined his effectiveness just as he was approaching his peak, he might well be remembered today as one of the greatest wingmen of all time.

Laurie Nash (City-Launceston, South Melbourne, Camberwell)

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Many of Nash's opponents would be inclined to agree with this assessment.  Despite being a mere 175 centimetres in height there have been few better high marking centre half forwards in the history of the game.  Added to his aerial prowess were pace, excellent ball control, and the ability to kick long and accurately with either foot.  Champion Collingwood goalsneak Gordon Coventry opined that Nash would have been the most prolific full forward of all time had he been stationed permanently at the goalfront.  The 18 goals which he managed against South Australia on one occasion appeared to endorse this opinion.  (However, the widely propounded myth that Nash achieved this feat in less than three quarters of football is precisely that - a myth.  Contemporary reports, such as that published in 'The Melbourne Herald' on the evening of the match, confirm that Nash booted 2 of the VFL's 9 opening quarter goals plus 2 more in the 2nd term [see footnote 1].)

Nash's VFL career comprised 99 games with South Melbourne between 1933 and 1937 as well as in 1945.  He booted a total of 246 goals.  In his debut season he was best afield as the red and whites surged to a 42 point grand final victory over Richmond.  Perhaps surprisingly, he never won South's best and fairest trophy, although he did captain the club in 1937, and was its top goal kicker both that year and in 1945.

Prior to his VFL stint, Nash achieved considerable notoriety with NTFA club City, playing a total of 45 senior games between 1930 and 1932, including the winning local and state grand finals of both 1930 and 1932.  He won the Tasman Shield Trophy as the competition's best and fairest player in 1931 and 1932, and was a regular representative player, appearing 10 times for Northern Tasmanian combinations, as well as in all 5 of Tasmania's matches at the 1930 Adelaide carnival (see footnote 2).

Arguably Nash's best years as a footballer were spent with Camberwell where he kicked 418 goals in just 74 games over four seasons.

In 2004, Laurie Nash's immense contribution to Tasmanian football was recognised with his selection at centre half back in the official 'Team of the Century' for that state.  A year earlier he had been placed at centre half forward in both South Melbourne's and Camberwell's equivalent teams. In the City/City-South 'Team of the Century', named in 2002, he was chosen at centre half back, the position he filled during most of his Tasmanian sojourn.  More recently, in 2006, he was named as a legend in Tasmanian Football's official Hall of Fame.

Footnotes

1. I am indebted to Tasmanian-based sports historian Ross Smith for establishing this fact beyond any reasonable doubt via his detailed examination of contemporary source material.  Return to Main Text

2.  Statistics derived from primary source-based research undertaken by Ross Smith.  Return to Main Text

Robert Nash (Northcote, Collingwood, Footscray)

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After leaving Collingwood, Nash spent the 1911-12 seasons as captain-coach of Footscray in the VFA, but premiership honours continued to elude him.  In 1912 he continued with the Tricolours as a player only, before retiring.  Ironically, the following year saw Footscray break through for a premiership.

Bernie Naylor (South Fremantle)

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Western Australian football has seen numerous talented spearheads, but few if any better than South Fremantle's Bernie Naylor who, in a ten season, 194 game League career booted 1,034 goals, adding a further 45 in 16 interstate matches.  According to Frank Harrison and Jack Lee, however, he achieved all this despite failing to receive any indulgence from the men in white: 

"Naylor (was) a scrupulously fair player who suffered from the umpires' delusion that full forwards were there to be buffeted and knocked down and around, and therefore were not entitled to free kicks.  In one of his prolific ten seasons he kicked his 100th goal of the year with his first free kick."  (See footnote 1)

Club champion in 1953, Naylor bagged 8 goals in that season's winning grand final against West Perth, adding another 7 the following year when arch rivals Old Easts were the victims.

"Naylor was not a spectacular high mark in the style of his talented successor, John Gerovich.  He was sure enough, but most of his marks were taken safely on his chest.....His long, spiral punts were a joy for.....supporters to behold, and everyone who loved football admired his skill and amazing ability."  (See footnote 2)

One of the secrets of Naylor's success was his almost obsessive dedication to training.  On training nights, long after his team mates had left, he could be found at Fremantle Oval practising his trademark torpedo punt kicks for goal, from a variety of angles, but always from a distance of about 40 metres, with the ball invariably held with the lace to the side 'for extra stability in flight'.

Footnotes

1.  The South Fremantle Story 1900-1975 Volume 2 by Frank Harrison and Jack Lee, page 115.  Return to Main Text

2.  Ibid, pages 115 and 119.  Return to Main Text

Merv Neagle (Essendon & Sydney)

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A speedy and accomplished footballer with a sometimes feisty temperament, Merv Neagle was at the forefront of the game for over a decade. He arrived at Essendon from Dimboola and within a couple of years of making his senior VFL debut in 1977 had established himself as one of the best and most creative wingmen in the competition. If he had a weakness, it was that he occasionally had a tendency to give away a lot of free kicks.  His contribution to the emergence of the Bombers as a league force during the early 1980s was considerable. Neagle was a member of Essendon's losing grand final team against Hawthorn in 1983, and of the victorious combination a year later against the same opposition. He would have made it three grand final appearances in a row in 1985 had a leg injury not forced his eleventh hour withdrawal from the side which went on to score a hefty win against the Hawks.  He was in the centre for the Bombers in 1981 when they won the night flag, and on a wing three years later when they did so again.

In 1986 Neagle's career entered a new phase when he was one of several high profile signings by the Sydney Swans. In five seasons in the harbour city he continued to produce fine football, although he missed a fair number of games with injury towards the end. Although best known as a wingman Neagle could be equally effective either on the ball or in the centre. His Swans stint saw him add 56 games and 19 goals to the 147 games and 52 goals he had accrued during his time with the Dons.

While at Essendon, Neagle's reputation was enhanced by regular appearances in a Big V. Somewhat surprisingly, he was never the recipient of a club best and fairest award, with second place in the Bombers' 1980 and 1981 counts his best finishes.  He also came second in the 1980 Brownlow Medal count.

Robert Neal (Wynyard, Geelong, St Kilda)

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Brian Needle (East Fremantle)

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Gerard Neesham (East Fremantle, Swan Districts, Sydney, Claremont, Fremantle)

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Neesham commenced his league football career with East Fremantle in 1975, and despite apparently lacking in pace quickly proved himself a damaging player thanks to his ability to win the hard ball coupled with a capacity for finding or making space for himself.  Once in possession, he tended to use the ball well, either by hand, or with crisp, short, accurate kicks.  When Old Easts lost calamitously to Perth in the 1977 grand final, Gerard Neesham was one of just a handful of members of the losing side able to hold his head high afterwards having given a determinedly aggressive four quarter performance.  Two years later East Fremantle went top, but after 45 games for the club in four seasons Neesham had transferred to Swan Districts, where he would produce the best and most consistent football of his career, exemplified by consecutive Swan Medal wins in 1980 and 1981, and 3rd and 4th place finishes in the Sandover Medal voting in 1979 and 1981 respectively.  He also represented Western Australia 3 times during this period. In 1982 he interrupted his WAFL career by spending a season with VFL club Swans (formerly known as South Melbourne, and soon to be renamed Sydney).  In what was probably the biggest disappointment of his time as a player, he failed to do himself justice, managing just 9 senior games for the year.

Resuming with Swan Districts in 1983 Neesham quickly put his VFL frustrations behind him by helping the club to successive premierships at the expense of Claremont and East Fremantle.  Neesham clearly approached the grand final clash with his former club, East Fremantle, with particular relish, and produced a near best afield performance.  This was more than a little ironic given that it would be his last ever game in a Swan Districts jumper.  In 1985, after 97 games in five seasons with Swans, he returned for a second stint with his original club, East Fremantle, where he would add another 34 games in two years, highlighted by an extremely creditable performance in the 1985 grand final defeat of Subiaco.

Gerard Neesham might well have stayed at East Fremantle for longer, but he had coaching ambitions, which Claremont offered him the chance to pursue.  To say that this was an inspired move on the part of the Claremont committee would be putting it mildly, for over the course of an eight and a half season stint with the club Neesham would prove himself the most successful, and by popular consent the greatest, coach in the club's history.  From 1987 to 1989 he occupied the role of playing coach, although he played less as time went on.  In his debut season as coach the West Australian football landscape had undergone the most seismic shift in its history following the formation of the West Coast Eagles, a club touted by some as the salvation of the game in the west, and regarded by others as a major nail in its coffin.  As far as the WAFL competition was concerned, the impact of the Eagles would be almost wholly inimical.  Matches would be played in front of reduced crowds, media coverage would be much diminished, and, given that approaching forty of the league's best players would be siphoned off by the VFL newcomer, the overall standard of play would also undergo a decline.

Had it not been for Gerard Neesham, things might have been even worse.  With Neesham as architect, Claremont developed an innovative style of play that, as with many truly great or revolutionary ideas, seemed beguilingly simple - so simple, in fact, that it was hard to believe no-one had thought of it before.  Eventually christened 'chip and draw', it was a style which would garner fascination, scorn, incredulity and admiration in more or less equal measure for more than a decade.  With the Tigers, it succeeded, partly because it took opposing teams by surprise, and partly because the club was blessed with a proliferation of the right type of players to implement it effectively.  Central to 'chip and draw', its rule of thumb if you like, is the principle that possession is nine-tenths of the law.  A team in possession is a team in control.  Neesham's players were therefore under strict instructions to retain possession of the ball until such time as they could dispose of it accurately, either by passing it to a team mate, or by scoring.  A player in possession of the ball could run with it or pass it in any direction, as long as possession was maintained.  In sports like soccer, basketball and - most significantly of all in Neesham's case - water polo (see footnote 1), such a tenet was so obvious it was almost taken for granted, but such had not, historically, always been the case in Australia football, where movement of the ball towards goal tended to be the paramount objective.

Gerard Neesham's water polo tactics took the WAFL by storm.  In 1987, the Tigers achieved greater dominance of the competition than any team since East Fremantle's unbeaten premiership side of 1946.  At times they appeared to be light years ahead of the opposition in terms of inventiveness, tactical acumen and skill, but in the brave new era of football that was emerging, such prowess was costly.  In 1988 it would be a significantly weakened Claremont that would mount its quest for back to back flags, with VFL clubs having deprived it of half a dozen of its premiership stars.

Under Neesham, this sequence of events would play out four times in quick succession, as Claremont won the premierships of 1987, 1989, 1991 and 1993, each time with a different nucleus of key players.  Rarely, if ever, can a team in one of Australia's leading state leagues have displayed such resilience and recovery power.

Midway through the 1994 season, Gerard Neesham was appointed coach of Western Australia's second AFL club, Fremantle, which was to commence its involvement in the competition the following year.  Utilising the same 'chip and draw' tactics that had proved so successful at WAFL level Neesham ensured the Dockers were competitive from the start, but they lacked sufficient players of real quality to mount a legitimate premiership challenge.  Moreover, as time went on, opposing teams got much better at countering Freo's idiosyncratic style, and in Neesham's fourth and final season the team slumped to 15th, its lowest finishing position up to that time.  Arguably, then, if ever a coach came in with a bang and went out with a whimper, it was Gerard Neesham, but the bang was a truly spectacular one, and it is for that that he deserves to be remembered.

Footnotes

1.  Besides his football prowess, Neesham was also an accomplished water polo player.  Return to Main Text

Harold Neill (Williamstown, South Melbourne, Footscray, St Kilda)

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Craig Nelson (West Perth & West Torrens)

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Philip Nelson (Sturt)

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Bill Nettlefold (Richmond, North Melbourne, Melbourne)

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Bill Nettlefold commenced his VFL career in 1974 with Richmond, where he played 15 games and booted 6 goals in two seasons.  His stint with North followed, encompassing 51 games and 22 goals between 1976 and 1979, and he rounded off his career with 34 games and 14 goals for Melbourne between 1980 and 1982.  Most of his football was played as a ruck-rover, although he was sufficiently versatile to be able to do a job either as a forward or on the backlines as well.

Thomas New (Brighton)

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Ken Newland (Geelong & Footscray)

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When Ken 'Crackers' Newland made his senior VFL debut for Geelong against Footscray at the Western Oval in round 12 1965 he became, at sixteen years and 74 days, the club's youngest ever player. However, despite being aged just sixteen years and two months he seemed to ooze assurance, confidence and poise. The Cats tended to use him either on the ball or across half forward, and he was equally effective in both roles. A key tenet of Newland's play was his clever use of handball a la 'Polly' Farmer, and it was presumably no coincidence that during his time as a student at Warrnambool Tech Newland idolised the former East Perth big man.

Ken Newland's career at Kardinia Park comprised a total of 198 VFL games between 1965 and 1975 and in 1977-8.  He booted 243 goals.  Newland spent the 1976 season at Footscray, for whom he played 18 games and kicked a dozen goals.  He earned a Big V jumper for the win over South Australia on the Adelaide Oval in 1970.

Ernest Newling (Geelong West & Geelong)

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John Newman (Geelong)

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John Newnham (Fitzroy)

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Don Nicholls (Carlton & Box Hill)

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Doug Nicholls (Northcote & Fitzroy)

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Nicholls spent five seasons with the Brickfielders during the outset of what proved to be their most auspicious era.  In 1929 they reached their first VFA grand final, and with Nicholls in sparkling touch on a wing, ultimately overcame Port Melbourne by 42 points after struggling early on to kick straight.  Further grand finals followed in 1930-31, and again the team was well served by its electrifying wingman, but Oakleigh on both occasions managed to edge home.

In 1932, Doug Nicholls crossed to Fitzroy, where he enhanced his reputation still further.  The only aboriginal footballer in the VFL at the time, he spent six seasons with the Roys, playing 54 VFL games, and representing the VFL in 1935.  Despite the presence in the same team of other fine players such as Haydn Bunton senior, Jack Cashman and Wilfred 'Chicken' Smallhorn, however, the Maroons tended to struggle during Nicholls' time with them, with 5th position in 1933 their best return.  The Northcote success of 1929 therefore remained Nicholls' only involvement in a senior premiership.  His final taste of top level football was as coach of his former club, Northcote, in 1947, but it proved to be a disastrous year for the Brickfielders who managed just 4 wins from 20 matches to finish with the wooden spoon.

After his football career, Doug Nicholls was ordained as a pastor, and achieved much in public life, including a knighthood in 1972, and the governorship of South Australia.

Nowadays, many of the finest players in the game are native Australians, and doubtless the same would have been the case in the 1930s had society allowed.  However, in bravely confronting and overcoming deep-set racial bigotry Doug Nicholls played a key role in paving the way for a somewhat more tolerant, if far from perfect, modern Australia.

Graham Nicholls (Norwood)

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Footnotes

1.  The South Australian Football Yearbook 1960, page 50.  Return to Main Text

John Nicholls (Carlton, Glenelg, Coburg)

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None of the above should be taken as implying that John Nicholls was a player devoid of skill, however.  Without wishing to become embroiled in a philosophical consideration of the nature of skill it is nevertheless worth pointing out for example that, unlike Farmer, say, Nicholls was very much a two-sided player.  Furthermore, his kicking was accurate and penetrative, and he handled the ball cleanly.  Whilst not possessed of blinding pace his astute judgement repeatedly enabled him to make position ahead of speedier opponents.  And while not given to indiscriminate violence his "piercing blue eyes gave the most frightening stare in football".  [see footnote 1]

All of which has the effect of intensifying the irony surrounding Nicholls' method of entry to League football, for it was actually John's brother Don - a centreman or defender - who was the original target of Carlton's recruitment team.  It was only after the boys' father intervened that it was agreed to let both brothers try out with the Blues.

Don Nicholls - no mean player himself - lasted six seasons and played 77 games with Carlton.  By the time his 'baby brother' retired in 1974 after eighteen seasons at Princes Park he had enjoyed arguably the most illustrious career of any Carlton champion.  Just about the only honour to elude him was the Brownlow Medal (although he was runner-up in 1966). A member of more VFL interstate teams (31) than any other player, 'Big Nick' gained All Australian selection after both the 1966 Hobart and 1969 Adelaide carnivals, being selected as captain on the latter occasion.  On no fewer than five occasions - a club record - he was chosen as Carlton's club champion.  As Blues skipper he held the premiership cup aloft after the grand finals of 1968, 1970 and 1972, having coached the team to the flag in the last named season.  With 328 club games by the time of his retirement Nicholls established another Carlton record (later broken by Bruce Doull).

In 1977, Nicholls was appointed coach of Glenelg, and managed to get the Tigers into the grand final in his first season; however, Port Adelaide proved just that bit too strong, and edged home by 7 points.  When the side dropped to 4th place the following season, Nicholls' left, resurfacing three years later as coach of VFA 1st division side Coburg whom he steered to 6th place in his sole season in charge.

When Carlton selected its official 'Team of the Century', John Nicholls was the presumably almost inevitable choice to lead the first ruck.

Footnotes

1.  From The Encyclopedia of League Footballers: Every AFL/VFL Player Since 1897 by Jim Main and Russell Holmesby, page 325.  Return to Main Text

Reg Nicholls (Fitzroy)

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Peter Nicks (Central District)

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Ivor Nicolle (Sturt)

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Des Nisbet (St Kilda)

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Colin Niven (Fitzroy & Melbourne)

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John Nix (Richmond)

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Michael Nolan (North Melbourne & Mayne)

In 1981 he moved to Mayne as captain-coach.  He spent five years there, steering the side to its last QAFL premiership in 1982.  Besides playing more than 100 league games Nolan became a wonderful contributor to the Queensland state program as a player, coach and selector, undertaking a pivotal role during the successful years of the early 1980s that were a fore-runner to the advent of the Brisbane Bears. He died prematurely, aged fifty-eight, in May 2008 following a short battle with cancer.

Alan Noonan (Essendon, Richmond, Coburg)

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Noonan ended his VFL career with a brief, 10 game stint at Richmond in 1977.  He went on to play at Coburg in 1978, and finished his senior career with Keilor. 

Footnotes

1.  Matthew Lloyd has since broken this record.  Return to Main Text

Paddy Noonan (Fitzroy, Carlton, North Melbourne, Williamstown)

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After a brief time with Williamstown, Noonan returned to North Melbourne and in 1909, his last season, was appointed captain.  He later served the club in a number of off-field and administrative roles.

Over the years, North Melbourne has produced, or been home to, a fair number of top quality rovers.  One thinks, for instance, of names like Aylett, Cable, Harvey, Stevens and the Krakouer brothers.  However, arguably the first in that long line of great small men at North was the club's inaugural premiership captain, Paddy Noonan.

David Norman (Collingwood)

Jim Norman (Geelong)

Charles Norris (Collingwood & Fitzroy)

Barry Norsworthy (Central District & Melbourne)

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Mark Norsworthy (Central District & East Fremantle)

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Stan Nowotny (Swan Districts)

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Voted Swans fairest and best in 1974, Nowotny ran second to East Fremantle's Graham Melrose in the Sandover Medal the same year.  The following season he again finished runner-up in the Sandover, this time to Alan Quartermaine of East Perth.  Captain of his club from 1977 to 1981, Nowotny continued playing for two years after that which enabled him to participate in successive grand final wins over Claremont.

Stan Nowotny gained a well warranted berth on a half back flank in Swan Districts' official 'Team of the Century'.  He was also chosen as vice-captain of the team. 

Michael Nunan (Sturt, Richmond, Norwood, North Adelaide, Fitzroy)

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In 1978, the Double Blues once again reached the grand final, but Nunan by this time was playing for their rivals for the premiership, Norwood, and had the satisfaction of making a telling contribution to the Redlegs' stunning come-from-behind win by the narrowest of margins (reviewed here).

Next port of call for Nunan was North Adelaide, where he added another 34 SANFL games to the 36 he had played with Norwood and the 189 appearances for Sturt.  He also represented South Australia 3 times, and in 1971, whilst on National Service duty in Melbourne, he played a single game for Richmond.

Nunan's major impact at North Adelaide was not as a player but as a coach, however.  When he assumed the coaching role in 1981 the Roosters had endured almost a decade of mediocrity, but under Nunan all that was to change as, between 1985 and 1991, the club contested five grand finals, for wins in 1987 and 1991.  Arguably of even greater significance than the statistical success, however, was the style in which it was achieved, as Nunan's teams played an exciting, aesthetically appealing brand of football which in some ways could be regarded as the logical consummation of the ideas and teachings of Nunan's former mentor, Jack Oatey.

After leaving North Adelaide at the end of the 1992 season, Nunan had a brief, thankless stint as coach of Fitzroy in 1996, before coaching South Australia's state league side on four occasions for four wins.  Even if his overall impact on the game was undermined to some extent by circumstances and developments outside his control, not least the wholesale re-shaping of the game to suit the financial needs of Victoria's VFL clubs, it was nevertheless a good deal more significant than might have seemed likely when he was vying with Peter Endersbee to assume Roger Dunn's mantle as second rover in the all-powerful Sturt side of the 1960s.

George Nuss (Mayne)

by Murray Bird and Peter Blucher

Damien Nygaard (Norwood & West Perth)

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Judgement and timing, rather than high leaps, get him most of his marks.  Plays close to opponents without losing any of his dash.  He is essentially a ball player, but has the ability to hand out solid bumps.

He is probably best remembered for a collision with Glenelg strong man Neil Kerley during a match in 1969 which resulted in Nygaard sustaining a broken jaw.  Despite the fact that Kerley clearly collected him with a raised forearm, Nygaard allegedly felt no bitterness about the incident, regarding it as part and parcel of football.

Damien Nygaard finished his Australian football career with West Perth where he was touted as a big name recruit, but sadly failed to fulfill his promise.  There was still time for one final flurry, however, this time in the foreign sport of gridiron as, in 1974, Nygaard tried his hand as a punter with NFL club the Green Bay Packers, more than a decade and a half before Darren Bennett, to somewhat greater fanfare, did the same.

Daryl O'Brien (North Melbourne)

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Noel O'Brien (Carlton)

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Paddy O'Brien (Yarraville, Carlton, Footscray)

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