Tony Buhagiar

Recruited from East Fremantle in the WAFL, Tony "Budgie" Buhagiar was a diminutive but combustible rover who became an instant cult hero upon arriving at Essendon in 1981. Standing at just 166cm, he compensated for his lack of height with ferocious aggression and a natural eye for goal, booting 42 majors in his debut season to top the Bombers' goalkicking and win the club's Best First Year Player award. A tenacious crumber who thrived at the bottom of the pack, Buhagiar was a key fixture in Kevin Sheedy's emerging side, playing a significant role in their rise up the ladder and featuring in the side that was heavily defeated by Hawthorn in the 1983 Grand Final.

Buhagiar’s time at Windy Hill ended with a well-documented hard-luck story during the club's breakthrough 1984 season. After battling injuries mid-year, he fought his way back into the senior side for the finals but was controversially omitted from the Grand Final team, with Sheedy later admitting he would have only played the rover if rain was forecast. The heartbreak prompted a move to the Western Bulldogs (then Footscray) for the 1985 season, where he played every game and kicked 36 goals in a preliminary final finishing side. Despite his strong form at the Kennel, he returned to Western Australia the following year, leaving the VFL as one of the era's most memorable small forwards.