Bob Chitty

Recruited from the tiny town of Cudgewa in north-east Victoria, Bob Chitty arrived at Princes Park in 1937 and quickly established himself as perhaps the most feared player of his generation. While he possessed genuine footballing ability and versatility, famously playing across the backline and occasionally in the midfield, his reputation was forged through unwavering aggression and physical intimidation. An uncompromising defender who attacked the contest with reckless abandon, Chitty became the personification of the Carlton spirit during a rugged era of VFL football, willing to use his body to protect teammates and unsettle opposition stars.

Although he played in the 1938 premiership side, his defining moment came as captain during the infamous 1945 "Bloodbath" Grand Final against South Melbourne. Leading a side that had scraped into the finals, his brutal physical targeting of opposition players set a violent tone for the match, ultimately inspiring the Blues to an unlikely premiership victory despite earning him an eight-week suspension. He served as captain-coach for two seasons before departing the VFL at the end of 1946 to coach in the Ovens and Murray League. His standing as one of the game's hardest men was later cemented with his selection in the back pocket of Carlton's Team of the Century.