Ted Leehane

The son of former Carlton defender Steve Leehane, Ted Leehane arrived at Essendon from East Brunswick CYMS and made an immediate impact, tasting premiership success in 1942 during just his first season of senior football. His promising career was significantly interrupted by World War II service, which forced him to miss the 1944 and 1945 seasons, but he returned to establish himself as a fast-moving, high-marking key forward. While capable of being the main target—he topped the club's goalkicking in 1947 and finished runner-up in the Best and Fairest in 1948—Leehane is perhaps best remembered as the selfless Centre Half-Forward who created space and opportunities for the legendary John Coleman. This team-first attitude was pivotal in the Bombers' 1949 and 1950 premiership triumphs, the latter of which he featured in as a reserve after recovering from a ruptured kidney earlier that year. Recognised as one of the "Champions of Essendon," his legacy is that of a resilient and versatile forward who consistently sacrificed personal glory for team success.