Dave McGrath

Recruited from the goldfields region, Dave McGrath was a talented all-round sportsman from the Ballarat School of Mines who made a brief but notable impact for Fitzroy. A solidly built half-forward with a background in competitive athletics, he broke into the senior side midway through the 1920 season and immediately found his feet, booting two goals against Richmond in just his fourth appearance. McGrath proved to be a reliable contributor during the Roys' run to the major round, retaining his place in a competitive lineup right up to the Semi Final against Collingwood. Despite playing on the league's biggest stage in front of nearly 40,000 fans in his final VFL match, his tenure at the top level was limited to that single winter, leaving him as a unique footnote in the club's history as a player who featured in a finals campaign in his only season.