Mick Maguire

A precocious talent recruited from the local Christian Brothers college, Mick Maguire holds the enduring record as the youngest player to ever appear for Richmond, debuting at just 15 years of age in 1910. He was an immediate sensation, topping the Tigers' goalkicking in his debut season, but his time at Punt Road ended when he crossed to Melbourne midway through 1912 to follow former teammate Andrew Manzie. Maguire's football career became frequently interrupted by his rising profile as a professional welterweight boxer, a pursuit that eventually took priority and saw him spend several peak years playing in the VFA with Northcote rather than the VFL. He returned to the top flight for a final season with Collingwood in 1918, showcasing the skills of a dangerous resting rover and forward who knew where the goals were. While his dual focus on the ring and the field prevented him from reaching 100 games, he remains a unique figure in league history as a teenage prodigy who packed a punch both literally and figuratively.