Max James

Arriving at South Melbourne as a marquee recruit from the SANFL, Max James was a decorated Port Adelaide star who had just tasted premiership success and won a Simpson Medal in 1977. He quickly established himself at the Lakeside Oval as a versatile key position player, most dangerous at centre half-forward where his ability to take spectacular high-flying marks made him a crowd favourite. Despite his aerial dominance and utility value in the ruck, James’s time in the VFL was frustrated by persistent injuries that restricted him to just 54 games over five seasons. He holds a unique place in club history as a member of the pioneering squad that relocated to the Harbour City, playing three games for the newly minted Sydney Swans in 1982 before returning to South Australia mid-season. His connection to the club extended to the next generation, with his son Heath James playing for the Swans in the late 1990s and early 2000s.