Tony Burgess

Hailing from the Flinders Ranges town of Quorn, Tony Burgess established himself as a premier defender in the SANFL with West Adelaide, famously blanketing Sturt legend Rick Davies in the 1983 Grand Final. His pathway to Victoria Park was unorthodox; he spent his early twenties working in Melbourne and flying back to South Australia on weekends to play, training with VFL squads during the week before finally earning a clearance to Collingwood in 1985. A tall, rangy backman known for his close-checking style and booming long kick, Burgess served as a dependable defensive anchor across two seasons for the Magpies. His VFL career ended when he was offered to the Brisbane Bears for their inaugural list; he refused the move north, opting instead to return to West Adelaide where he played until 1993 and eventually entered their Hall of Fame.