Ray Gabelich

Recruited from West Perth, Ray Gabelich arrived at Collingwood in 1955 and quickly established himself as a cult figure at Victoria Park. Known affectionately as "The Bear," he was a formidable physical presence in the ruck, using his significant bulk to dominate stoppages and protect his smaller teammates. Despite a deceptively lumbering gait, Gabelich possessed surprising agility and endurance, attributes that helped him secure the 1960 Copeland Trophy and later the club captaincy in 1964.

His career is most famously defined by a specific moment in the 1964 Grand Final against Melbourne. In the dying minutes, Gabelich gathered the ball at half-back and embarked on a bouncing, seventy-metre run through the centre of the MCG before kicking a goal that briefly put the Magpies in front. While Collingwood eventually lost the match due to a late Neil Crompton goal, that passage of play remains one of the most enduring images in VFL history. He retired in 1966 as a beloved figure, having played 160 games in the black and white.