Frank McRae

Recruited from Wonthaggi in South Gippsland, Frank McRae was a robust tall utility who balanced his VFL career with his profession as a schoolteacher. Standing 183cm—a significant height for the era—he was capable of shouldering the ruck load but played his best football as a key defender, often tasked with manning the full-back position against the league’s spearheads. A regular fixture in the senior side during the early 1950s, McRae was a consistent contributor during the club’s build-up phase under Charlie Sutton. However, his timing proved unfortunate; after four seasons of regular football, he managed just a single senior appearance in 1954, ultimately missing out on a place in the Bulldogs' historic maiden premiership team.