John Kerr

A distinct talent from Melbourne Grammar, John Kerr is best remembered for a career defined by an ironic twist of allegiance. Although he was recruited by Melbourne and desperately sought a clearance to the Demons, he was residentially bound to Footscray and forced to sign after coach Charlie Sutton saw through his attempts to play poorly during a trial match. This retention proved a masterstroke for the Bulldogs, as the elusive rover became a central figure in their historic 1954 Premiership victory, delivering a best-on-ground performance against the very team he had originally wished to join. After six seasons of service at the Western Oval, he finally secured his desired transfer to Melbourne in the middle of 1958, but the long-awaited move proved anti-climactic, yielding just a single senior appearance before he finished his playing days in the VFA.