Reg Bell

A steadfast defender who arrived at Glenferrie Oval as a mature-age recruit, Reg Bell was plucked from VFA club Oakleigh to bolster the Hawthorn backline during the early years of the Second World War. Bell immediately slotted into the fullback role, where he gained a reputation for his reliability and discipline in an era when the Mayblooms often found themselves under siege. Despite his brief VFL tenure spanning just two seasons, he proved his quality by holding his own against some of the competition’s most formidable forwards, reportedly enjoying notable duels against icons such as Melbourne’s Norm Smith and South Melbourne’s Ron Clegg. Bell left the league after the 1941 season but maintained a lifelong connection to the club, eventually being recognised as one of Hawthorn's oldest surviving players prior to his passing in 2009.