Alec Duncan

Hailing from Romsey, Alec Duncan arrived at Princes Park in 1921 and initially made his mark in the attacking half. A tall and athletic prospect standing 188cm, he was a capable target up forward, even topping Carlton's goalkicking in 1924 with 27 majors. However, his career trajectory shifted dramatically after a brief stint as captain-coach of Stratford in the Gippsland league during 1925. Upon his return to the Blues the following season, he was redeployed to centre half-back, where his reading of the play and aerial prowess turned him into one of the league’s premier defenders.

Duncan's legacy is defined by his commanding presence in the backline, characterised by spectacular overhead marking and dashing rebound play. His standing in the game was cemented during a famous 1927 encounter against Collingwood at Victoria Park, often referred to as "Duncan's Match." In a display of defensive dominance, he reportedly took over 30 marks and single-handedly repelled the Magpie attacks, a performance so complete that the Collingwood players presented him with the mounted match ball as a token of respect. He remained a tower of strength for the Blues until his retirement in 1930, regularly representing Victoria in interstate contests.