Don Gent

Recruited from local side Hawthorn City, Don Gent was a reliable key defender who manned the full-back position for the Hawks throughout the late 1950s. Standing 188cm, he possessed the height and reach to act as a formidable stopper against opposition spearheads, serving as a defensive anchor who never drifted forward to score a goal during his tenure. He was a regular selection during the club's transition from cellar-dwellers to competitive force, playing his final years under the early tutelage of John Kennedy Sr as the team began to harden its edge. Gent’s career is often noted for its unfortunate timing; he departed the VFL at the end of 1959 aged just 26, meaning the key backman missed Hawthorn's historic maiden premiership triumph by only two seasons.