Ivan Corry

Recruited from the Wimmera town of Rupanyup, Ivan Corry was a unique figure in Hawthorn’s early history whose footballing journey was heavily influenced by his professional life outside the game. He initially broke into the senior side midway through the 1926 season, seizing an opportunity created by a severe injury crisis that sidelined a dozen regular players, but managed just two appearances before returning to the reserves. A journalist by trade, Corry spent the ensuing years prioritising his career while starring in the midweek industrial competition, where he eventually won a Best and Fairest award representing the Press Football Club in the Wednesday League. After a stint with South Melbourne’s seconds, he earned a surprising recall to the Mayblooms’ lineup late in the 1932 season, adding four more games to his tally. Ultimately, his VFL career comprised just six matches across two brief stints separated by six years, with the scribe-turned-footballer never fortunate enough to experience a senior victory.