George Dougherty

George Dougherty began his VFL career at Carlton, but after struggling to cement a permanent place in the Blues' lineup, he made a mid-season crossing to Geelong in 1936 where he flourished as a roving forward. A dangerous option near goal, Dougherty possessed an uncanny ability to find space in congested forward lines, eventually topping Geelong's goalkicking in 1940. His tenure at the Pivot was interrupted by the Second World War; when Geelong temporarily withdrew from the competition due to wartime travel restrictions, Dougherty was among the players allocated to other clubs, spending two seasons keeping his skills sharp with Footscray before returning to the Cats for the 1944 season.

In the twilight of his career, Dougherty made one final move to South Melbourne in 1945, a transfer that placed him at the centre of one of the league's most notorious chapters. He played as a forward pocket in the 1945 Grand Final against his original club, Carlton—a match now immortalised as "The Bloodbath" due to its extreme physicality and all-in brawls. While he didn't taste premiership success that day, Dougherty retired as a highly respected journeyman and a consistent avenue to goal, having averaged well over a major per game across his 11-season career.