Frank Prowse

Standing at a colossal 192cm—a height that made him a genuine giant of the post-war era—Frank Prowse was a towering ruckman whose football career was significantly delayed by his service as a sapper in the Australian Army during World War II. After finally breaking into the VFL ranks with South Melbourne in 1947, he managed just a single senior appearance before spending a year out of the league. Prowse was handed a footballing lifeline by Hawthorn in 1949, where his massive frame and physical maturity were welcomed by a side desperately needing strength around the contests. He became a regular fixture in the Hawks' lineup for two seasons, using his superior reach to control hitouts and occasionally drifting forward to use his size in marking contests. While his time at the top level was brief, Prowse remains a notable example of the "big men" sought after during the physically uncompromising period of late 1940s football.