Doug Searl

Recruited from East Melbourne YCW, Doug Searl began his VFL career with Collingwood as a promising key forward. He broke into the senior side quickly, experiencing the heartbreak of the Magpies' famous one-point Grand Final loss to St Kilda in his debut season of 1966. Despite this early exposure to big-game football, he found himself on the outer at Victoria Park by 1968 and made a mid-season switch to Fitzroy. The move revitalised his career, as he made an immediate impact at the Lions, booting 31 goals in just eight games to close out the year before topping the club's goalkicking in 1969 with a formidable haul of 68 majors.

While he established himself as a potent focal point in attack, Searl's versatility ultimately defined his tenure at Fitzroy. Following a broken ankle in 1970, he was reinvented as a centre half-back, a move that showcased his reading of the play and reliability in the air. Known for his safe hands and long kicking, he became a pillar of the Lions' defence for the remainder of his career. After hanging up the boots in 1976, Searl transitioned into a highly successful development coach, guiding the under-19 squads at both Fitzroy and Richmond to premiership success.