Fred Phillips

A versatile key position player who could operate effectively in the ruck or at either end of the ground, Fred "Flops" Phillips was a rare talent for St Kilda during the interwar period. Recruited from Scotch College, he was noted for his stylish play and exceptional overhead marking, but his defining attribute was his ability to kick proficiently with both feet—a skill that made him difficult for opponents to check. He became a central figure at the Junction Oval, winning the club's Best and Fairest in 1930 and finishing in the top ten of the Brownlow Medal count in back-to-back seasons.

Phillips' career is remembered as much for its tragic conclusion as his on-field brilliance. After representing Victoria in 1932, he left St Kilda to accept a role as captain-coach of Hawthorn for the 1933 season. However, before he could play a single match for his new club, he contracted blood poisoning from an infected elbow—an injury reportedly aggravated by the dye in his guernsey. He died in April 1933 at just 27 years of age, cutting short the career of a player widely regarded as one of the most sporting and skilled big men of his generation.