Greg Parke

Recruited from the Bentleigh and McKinnon area, Greg Parke was a high-flying key forward who made an immediate impact at Melbourne, winning the club's Best First Year Player award in 1968. Balancing his early football duties with a job in the police force, Parke quickly established himself as the premier aerialist of his era. His ability to clunk contested grabs was unrivalled; in 1970 alone, he pulled down a VFL-record 238 marks, including a staggering 24 in a single game against St Kilda. While his set-shot kicking could sometimes be erratic, his dominance in the air made him a constant threat at Centre Half Forward, and he topped the Demons' goalkicking in 1972 with 63 majors.

Parke's career trajectory shifted in the mid-1970s following a complex trade saga. After initially seeking a move interstate, he was eventually dealt to Footscray in exchange for three players, where he spent two seasons manning the forward line at the Western Oval. He eventually got his wish to play in the SANFL, spending a year with Norwood in 1976 alongside former teammate Ross Dillon, before returning to Victoria for a final VFL swan song with Fitzroy. He passed away on the morning of the 2021 Grand Final, a poignant moment given the match featured two of his former clubs, Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs, competing for the flag.