Ivor Clay

Identical twin to 1944 premiership ruckman Bert Clay, Ivor Clay was a tall, athletic utility who experienced a vastly different footballing fortune to his brother. Recruited alongside Bert from Henty in the New South Wales Riverina, the brothers were so physically similar—both standing 193cm—that supporters and opponents frequently struggled to tell them apart. While Ivor showed immediate promise by booting 13 goals in his debut 1941 season, he struggled to command a regular senior spot during the club's golden era, with his appearances becoming sporadic just as the Lions rose to power. His career is often defined by a "hard luck" narrative; while Bert anchored the ruck in the drought-breaking 1944 Grand Final victory, Ivor could not break into the side and missed out on the ultimate success. Following his VFL career, he moved to Tasmania as a captain-coach for APPM in the North West Football Union, where he finally tasted premiership glory in 1949, while also establishing himself as a state-level cricketer.