Con Molan

A recruit from the Western District town of Colac, Con Molan holds a unique place in Geelong history less for his on-field performance than for the administrative mystery he created. After a brief initial stint with the Pivotonians (recorded as 1904 in some archives) he returned to the bush, only to be re-scouted years later while having a kick in a local paddock. Perhaps wary of clearance red tape or simply wanting a fresh start, he introduced himself as "Con Ryan" and played his 1907–1908 games under this pseudonym. On the field, he was a serviceable footballer capable of drifting forward to snag a goal, but for over a century, official records listed Molan and "Ryan" as separate individuals. It was only in recent years that historians connected the dots, consolidating his nine-game career and confirming that the Colac local had successfully pulled the wool over the selectors' eyes.