Wally Raleigh

Recruited from Fitzroy Juniors, Wally Raleigh was a fearless half-back flanker whose promising start at Collingwood was interrupted by the Great War. Nicknamed "Sir Walter" by teammates, the hard-running defender enlisted in 1915 and served with the Western Frontier Force in Egypt and France before returning to a Magpies side that had become a premiership powerhouse in his absence. Seeking greater opportunity, he crossed to Carlton in 1920 to play alongside his brother-in-law and Blues captain Charlie Fisher. Raleigh immediately became a key fixture in the Carlton defence, barely missing a match over two seasons and playing a crucial role in the club's run to the 1921 Grand Final. Though he finished his VFL career without a goal, his reputation as a contested ball-winner who loved a physical clash served him well before he departed to captain-coach Brunswick to a VFA premiership.