Peter Giles

Originally a prolific goalkicker recruited from VFA club Sandringham, Peter Giles was reinvented at VFL level as a reliable defender and utility player. While he arrived at Melbourne with a reputation for finding the big sticks, he spent the majority of his career as a disciplined backman who could be thrown forward when required. He became a symbol of loyalty during a bleak era for the Demons, famously rejecting a lucrative offer to join the flamboyant Sydney Swans in 1984 to remain with his struggling club.

Giles' resilience was tested after a serious knee injury in 1985 restricted him to just a single senior appearance the following year, but he fought back to play a pivotal role in one of the club's rare triumphs of the decade. He was instrumental in Melbourne's 1987 Night Series premiership victory, notably breaking a tackle in the dying moments to set up Bret Bailey for the winning goal. Although he played 13 games during that resurgence season under John Northey, he unfortunately missed selection for the club's fairytale finals campaign later that year, eventually retiring to join Prahran in the VFA.