Paul Licuria

Recruited by Sydney with pick 24 in the 1995 National Draft, Paul Licuria endured a difficult start to his AFL career, managing just ten games in two seasons as he struggled to break into the Swans' senior side. Seeking greater opportunity, he was traded to Collingwood ahead of the 1999 season in a deal involving a high draft pick, a move that would ultimately define his legacy. While he arrived at Victoria Park with a reputation as a fringe player, Licuria transformed himself through obsessive training standards and elite fitness, evolving from a defensive tagger into a premier ball-winning midfielder.

Under the guidance of Mick Malthouse, Licuria became the engine of the Magpies' resurgence in the early 2000s. He was renowned for his relentless work rate, contested ball-winning ability, and accumulation of possessions, notably gathering 40 disposals against his former club in a stirring 2002 performance. His consistency was rewarded with back-to-back Copeland Trophies as Collingwood's best and fairest in 2001 and 2002, playing a crucial role in the club's consecutive Grand Final appearances. Licuria retired in 2007 having extracted every ounce of potential from his career, remembered as a heart-and-soul player who set the training standards for a generation of Magpies.