Gordon Sawley

A talented member of the renowned Sawley footballing dynasty from South Australia, Gordon "Gertie" Sawley was a classy rover and forward pocket who briefly graced the VFL during the Second World War. Already an established senior player with Norwood, Sawley was stationed in Victoria with the RAAF in 1941 and signed with South Melbourne, where he immediately impressed as an elusive ball-winner capable of hitting the scoreboard. He managed eight goals in his seven appearances for the Swans, showcasing the high-level craft that had previously seen him dominate amateur ranks with massive goal tallies. His season took a unique turn when he was granted a permit to return to Norwood for their finals campaign while on leave, though a serious injury in the semi-final cruelly robbed him of a place in their premiership side. His football career and life were tragically cut short the following year when he was killed in a flight training accident off the coast of Scotland while serving as a pilot.