Greg Dear

Recruited from Churchill in the Latrobe Valley, Greg Dear became a central figure in Hawthorn's dominant sides of the 1980s. The older brother of fellow Hawk Paul Dear, Greg was a traditional ruckman who relied on physical strength and craft rather than athleticism or accumulation of possession. While rarely troubling the scoreboard himself, his primary value lay in his ability to provide first use of the ball to a star-studded midfield brigade including John Platten and Michael Tuck. This selfless role was instrumental in Hawthorn's success, seeing Dear earn premiership medallions in 1986, 1988, and 1989, though a knee injury famously cost him a spot in the 1991 flag side.

After nine seasons and three premierships at Glenferrie Oval, Dear crossed to Richmond prior to the 1994 season via the draft as the Hawks looked to regenerate their list. His arrival at Punt Road provided much-needed experience and stability to the Tigers' ruck division during a period of resurgence for the club. He played a vital role in Richmond's march to the 1995 Preliminary Final before retiring at the end of the 1996 season, finishing his career as a highly respected triple premiership player who maximised his talents through durability and discipline.