Clarrie Morelli

Known affectionately as "Dido," Clarrie Morelli was a speedy and wiry flanker who faced the unenviable task of trying to crack into Collingwood’s legendary "Machine" lineup of the late 1920s. Born in the regional Victorian town of Bethanga but raised in the Magpies' heartland, he was recruited from local side Fairfield after famously stepping in to fill a gap in his brother's team. Morelli possessed excellent pace, a strong mark, and the rare ability to use the ball well on both sides of his body, traits that saw him compared to club great Lardie Tulloch. He managed seven senior games in the 1927 season—no small feat given the depth of the roster that year—but ultimately struggled to retain his place against fierce competition, spending the 1928 season in the reserves after the club refused his clearance request to VFA side Northcote. Morelli eventually moved to Wodonga for work with the railways, where he became a premiership coach in the Ovens & Murray league, yet he remained a devoted figure at Victoria Park for the rest of his life, serving the Past Players’ Association for over 50 years.