Rod Leffanue

Recruited from Middle Park, Rod "Doc" Leffanue was a diminutive but dangerous forward who began his VFL career with South Melbourne. Standing just 174cm, he broke into the senior side as a teenager but found his opportunities at the Lakeside Oval increasingly limited as the club began aggressively recruiting interstate talent to form their famous "Foreign Legion." Seeking greater opportunity, Leffanue crossed to Carlton for the 1933 season, where he immediately proved his worth as a potent avenue to goal. He played with the instincts of a natural opportunistic forward, booting 20 majors in just nine games for the Blues—including two hauls of five goals—demonstrating a sharp strike rate. Despite his productivity at Princes Park, his league career was surprisingly brief, concluding at the end of that season with a reputation as a handy goal-kicker who made the most of his short time at the top level.