Ernie Wilson

Born and raised in the heart of Collingwood, Ernie Wilson was the quintessential local product. The son of a butcher and a student at Victoria Park State School, he was spotted having a kick on the oval by club stalwart Alf Dummett, who invited him down to training. Wilson wasted no time making his mark, breaking into the senior side in 1919 and tasting the ultimate success in his debut season, playing on a half-forward flank in the premiership victory over Richmond. While he started his career in attack, he soon found his true calling in defence, where he became one of the most feared backmen of the 1920s.

Standing just 170cm, Wilson was a "ball of muscle" who played with a ferocity that polarised the football public. Magpie fans adored his uncompromising, straight-ahead style and voted him the club's most popular player in 1924, while opposition supporters often viewed him as a thug due to his rugged physical clashes. Despite the hard-man reputation, he was a footballer of high quality, possessing rare speed and anticipation that earned him nine selections for Victoria. A key member of the 1927 "Machine" premiership team, his senior career ended in disappointment when he was omitted during the 1928 finals series, though he later returned to the club to captain-coach the reserves.