Allan Stoneham

A teenage prodigy recruited from Sunshine in the VFA, Allan Stoneham burst onto the scene at Footscray in 1972 as a 16-year-old. Such was the club's faith in his potential that he was handed the famous number 3 guernsey recently vacated by club legend Ted Whitten. While the burden of expectation was immense, Stoneham carved out a respectable career at the Western Oval as a versatile utility who could rotate between the centre and the forward line. After eight seasons and over a hundred games with the Bulldogs, he sought a fresh start and crossed to Essendon in 1980, reinventing himself as a reliable half-back flanker under coaches Barry Davis and Kevin Sheedy.

Stoneham’s time at Windy Hill is often remembered for his resilience and role in the club's building success. He became a defensive fixture for the Bombers, playing exactly 200 senior games across his two clubs. His career was marred by a notorious incident in 1983 against Hawthorn, where he suffered a severe facial injury in a clash with Robert DiPierdomenico but famously returned to the field. Though he missed selection in Essendon's senior premiership breakthroughs, Stoneham remained a vital clubman, captaining the Reserves to a premiership in 1983 and transitioning into a skills coaching role in 1984, helping lay the groundwork for the Baby Bombers' era of dominance.