Sid Catlin

A pacy rover recruited from the Paramount Football Club and McKinnon High School, Sid Catlin arrived at Melbourne with a reputation for blistering speed as a reigning Victorian schoolboy sprint champion. His ascent to the top level was meteoric, rocketing from the under-age grades to the senior side within a single season to make his VFL debut in 1966 at just 16 years of age. However, his time with the Demons was severely hampered by a knee injury that wiped out his entire 1967 campaign and restricted him to just four senior appearances in red and blue. Seeking a fresh start, Catlin crossed to South Melbourne in 1969 to reunite with legendary former Melbourne coach Norm Smith. Despite a promising third-place finish in the reserves' Gardiner Medal during his final year, he was unable to cement a permanent spot in the Swans' senior 22, concluding his VFL career after two seasons at the Lakeside Oval.