Barry Cable

Born in Narrogin, Barry Cable established himself as a dominant force in the WANFL with Perth before testing himself in Victoria. Although he played a handful of games for North Melbourne in 1970, it was his permanent return in 1974—orchestrated by Ron Barassi—that reshaped the club's midfield. A rover with a low centre of gravity and exceptional balance, Cable changed the tempo of the game by utilising the handball as a primary offensive weapon, unlocking defences with vision that few contemporaries possessed.

Cable was the on-field general during North Melbourne's golden era, playing a pivotal role in the 1975 and 1977 premiership victories. His ability to extract the ball and hit targets by hand or foot set the standard for modern midfielders. While his statistical dominance and premiership success initially saw him elevated to Legend status in the Australian Football Hall of Fame, these honours were formally rescinded by the AFL and North Melbourne in 2023 following civil court findings regarding historical off-field conduct.