Les Armstrong

Recruited from the Mercantile Football Club, Les Armstrong developed a reputation as one of the most durable defenders of his generation. A specialist back pocket who could also push up to the half-back flank, he was the definition of a "stay-at-home" defender, registering just two goals in 175 games while tasked with nullifying the opposition's resting rovers and small forwards. His reliability was his greatest asset, evidenced by a streak of 91 consecutive games between 1909 and 1913, a significant physical achievement in the rough-and-tumble era of pre-war football.

Armstrong was a constant presence in the Geelong lineup for over a decade, providing experience and stability through the club's fluctuating fortunes. His career included the notable gap of the 1916 season, when Geelong withdrew from the VFL competition due to the Great War. He returned immediately upon the club's reinstatement in 1917, playing for another four seasons before hanging up his boots in 1920. Although he retired a few years prior to the Cats' breakthrough 1925 premiership, Armstrong departed as a revered club servant who had marshaled the backline through a challenging era.