Garry Sidebottom

Arriving at Moorabbin from Swan Districts in 1978, Garry Sidebottom was the subject of a high-profile transfer that brought him to the VFL with a reputation as one of Western Australia's premier talents. A physically imposing key forward capable of taking a strong contested mark and pinch-hitting in the ruck, he immediately shouldered heavy expectations at St Kilda. While he topped the club's goalkicking in both 1979 and 1980, his tenure at the Saints was complicated by off-field instability and the infamous incident where he missed the team bus to the 1979 Night Series Grand Final, a moment that became entrenched in football folklore.

Sidebottom moved to Geelong for the 1981 season, helping the Cats reach a preliminary final in his solitary year at Kardinia Park before finding a more settled home at Fitzroy. At the Lions, he formed a dangerous attacking partnership with the likes of Bernie Quinlan and Mickey Conlan, playing consistent football as a structural anchor in the forward line. Although his career was often viewed through the lens of his high-priced entry to the league and early controversies, he proved himself a formidable competitor across three clubs, utilising his strength and aerial ability to remain a potent scoring threat until his retirement in 1984.