John Roberts

Arriving at the Swans as a mature-age recruit from SANFL club Woodville, John Roberts was a prolific full-forward who wasted no time translating his state league dominance to the VFL. Possessing strong hands on the lead and exceptional accuracy in front of goal, he immediately became the focal point of the attack, topping the club's goalkicking list in all three of his seasons between 1980 and 1982. His tenure coincided with the club's turbulent relocation from Lake Oval to the SCG, and while he maintained an impressive strike rate during the initial transition to Sydney, he opted to return to South Australia after just 50 games. Roberts resumed his career in the SANFL with Woodville and later North Adelaide, cementing his status as a South Australian football legend, though his brief national cameo remains notable for its remarkable efficiency and consistency in a struggling side.