Bob Corbett

Hailing from Golden Point in Ballarat, Bob Corbett was a battle-hardened recruit who joined Melbourne as a 24-year-old after serving in the First World War. He carved out a role as a reliable centreman, becoming a constant presence in the lineup during a competitive era for the club. While not a prolific scorer, his value lay in his resilience and ball-winning ability in the middle of the ground, eventually racking up over 160 games for the Redlegs and establishing himself as the backbone of their midfield.

Corbett's career is defined by a moment of immense courage and personal misfortune during the 1926 finals series. In the Preliminary Final against Essendon, he was struck behind play just before half-time, suffering a broken jaw. In an era without replacement players, he returned to the field with his head heavily bandaged, battling through the pain to help inspire his side to a thrilling three-point victory. Tragically, the severity of the injury ruled him out of the Grand Final triumph the following week, leaving him as the hard-luck story of Melbourne's premiership campaign. After hanging up his boots in 1929, he remained involved in the league as a boundary umpire.