Les Bamblett

An electrifying Indigenous talent from the Goulburn Valley, Bamblett arrived at Melbourne with a massive reputation after winning the 1982 Morrish Medal as the best player in the Under 19s. Despite showing glimpses of his mercurial skill in his debut season, he became embroiled in a messy clearance dispute the following year; after a failed bid to join Richmond and a stint in transfer limbo with WAFL club Claremont, he eventually signed with Footscray mid-1984. It was at the Western Oval that "Lally" truly arrived, producing a stunning 1985 campaign where he booted 51 goals as a dynamic, high-speed forward who could turn games in an instant. However, just as he established himself as a genuine match-winner for the Bulldogs, his career was cruelled by severe injuries—including a snapped Achilles and a knee reconstruction—which restricted him to just a handful of appearances after his breakout year.