Rowley Watt

Standing at just 163cm, Rowley Watt was a quintessential member of Essendon's famed "Mosquito Fleet," a group of diminutive stars who drove the club to back-to-back premierships in the 1920s. Originally from Rochester in the Bendigo Football League, Watt served a brief apprenticeship with the Essendon Association side in the VFA before earning his promotion to the senior League team in 1922. He wasted little time establishing himself, featuring on the wing in the 1923 premiership victory and holding down a half-forward flank during the triumphant 1924 campaign.

Despite his light frame, Watt was a durable and dashing player who possessed a leap that belied his height and a reputation for beautiful kicking. He was capable of playing as a rover but did his best work on the flanks, where his pace and skill could break games open. A loyal servant of the club, he eventually outlasted his fellow small-man contemporaries, retiring in 1931 as the last remaining member of the original Mosquito Fleet. He subsequently returned to Rochester as captain-coach, leaving behind a legacy as one of the most effective small players of his era.