Denis Scanlon

Arriving at Windy Hill with the weight of significant expectation, Denis Scanlon was a high-profile recruit from North Hobart who cost Essendon a then-record transfer fee in 1976. Already a premiership player and Best and Fairest winner in the TFL, he transitioned into the VFL as a tall, attacking defender who used his 188cm frame to intercept mark and distribute the ball with a reliable boot. While he arguably never quite reached the superstar heights suggested by his price tag, he became a "totally dependable" servant for the Bombers, capable of holding down a key defensive post or pinch-hitting in the ruck when required. His standing within the playing group was cemented when he won the Best Clubman award in 1977, and he remained a regular fixture in the senior side through the late 1970s, including an appearance in the 1979 Elimination Final and continued selection for Tasmania in State of Origin football.