Graeme Austin

Recruited from Orbost within Footscray's productive Gippsland zone, Graeme Austin was a lightly framed rover who battled hard for senior opportunities throughout the early 1970s. Although he often found himself on the fringe of the best 18—taking five seasons to accumulate his 50 games—he made an immediate impact by lining up in the forward pocket for the Bulldogs' 1970 Night Premiership victory over Hawthorn in his debut year. Austin was a handy contributor who could drift between the midfield and attack, but he struggled to cement a permanent spot as the side improved under the guidance of players like Gary Dempsey. He eventually fell out of favour during the club's surge to the 1974 finals, missing the major round campaign before finishing his VFL career at the Western Oval.