Don Kemp

Recruited from South Kensington, Don Kemp developed into a defensive mainstay for North Melbourne, navigating the club through the uncertainty of the Second World War. His individual brilliance was recognised in 1943 when he won the Syd Barker Medal as the club's best and fairest, a testament to his reliability during a period when the side was often under siege. Like many of his generation, Kemp's prime years were interrupted by the war, forcing him out of the game for the 1944 and 1945 seasons before he returned to Arden Street for a final stint. He retired in 1947 stranded on 99 games, earning a permanent place in football folklore as one of the unlucky few to finish their career just one appearance shy of the coveted century milestone.