Vern Banbury

Tasmanian-born Vern Banbury was a brief footnote at St Kilda, managing just three senior appearances as a teenager before crossing to the VFA, where he evolved into one of the most colourful and controversial figures of the era. A flamboyant centre half-forward known for his "wizardry" and nonchalant evasion, Banbury became a premiership star for Footscray but often attracted headlines for the wrong reasons. His career was a mix of brilliance and infamy; he famously set a record for misfortune by hitting the goal post seven times in a single match against Port Melbourne in 1912, yet was later embroiled in multiple match-fixing scandals. Sacked by the Tricolours following suspicious play in the 1914 Grand Final and eventually handed a life ban for attempting to bribe opponents in 1922, he remained a cult hero at the Western Oval, receiving life membership immediately after his ban and eventual induction into the Western Bulldogs Hall of Fame.