Gary Dempsey

Recruited from West Footscray, Gary Dempsey established himself as the era's premier ruckman through a combination of aerial dominance and sheer resilience. His career was nearly ended in 1969 when he suffered severe burns to over 50 per cent of his body while fighting bushfires near Lara. Despite a prognosis that cast doubt on his ability to walk properly again, let alone play elite sport, Dempsey returned to the field after a brief recovery period. He revolutionised the role of the ruckman, renowned not just for his deft tap work but for his capacity to dominate around the ground, frequently dropping back to take contested marks in defence and accumulating possessions with the consistency of a midfielder.

Dempsey's time at the Western Oval was decorated with individual accolades, including a club-record six Best and Fairest awards and the 1975 Brownlow Medal. He became a towering figure for the club, famously polling heavily in umpire voting year after year. However, his tenure at Footscray concluded under strained circumstances in 1978 due to a contract dispute. In one of the most significant transfers of the time, he moved to North Melbourne for the 1979 season, joining a star-studded lineup under Ron Barassi.