Pat Hand

Recruited from the local Sunshine Football Club, Pat Hand arrived at the Western Oval during the tumult of the Second World War to bolster the Footscray ranks. Standing at 185cm, he was considered a genuine tall for the 1940s and utilized his height primarily as a key defender, tasked with stopping the opposition’s heavy hitters. While he had the size to assist in the ruck, Hand was a disciplined backman who focused on aerial contests and clearing the ball from danger rather than chasing personal glory, evidenced by a career tally of just two goals. He was a regular fixture in the senior side during the club's competitive run in the mid-1940s, playing a structural role in a defence that helped the Tricolours reach finals campaigns in 1944 and 1946. A reliable rather than flashy contributor, Hand remained a loyal one-club player until his departure in 1949, typifying the gritty, workmanlike culture of Footscray in the immediate post-war era.