Ian Salmon

Recruited from Leongatha in South Gippsland, Ian Salmon broke into the Footscray side as a 17-year-old and developed into a commanding physical presence at the Western Oval. A tall, blond-haired left-footer standing 192cm, he was a prototype key position utility for the era, capable of clearing the ball deep with his booming kick. While he occasionally drifted forward, Salmon was primarily utilised as a structural pillar further up the ground or in defence, using his size and durability to hold down key posts during a transitional era for the club.

His career peaked during the mid-1970s, where he became a fixture in the senior lineup, missing only one match across the 1974 and 1975 seasons and featuring in the Bulldogs' 1974 finals campaign. However, his time at the elite level was abruptly cut short when he retired at just 23 years of age following the 1976 Elimination Final. Despite having arguably his best football ahead of him, Salmon chose to return to the country to focus on a career in agriculture and play for his home club Leongatha, leaving the VFL as a 100-game player who walked away in his prime.