It all started in 1956 when a reluctant 17-year-old walked into the changerooms of the Lake Oval to play for South Melbourne.
A passionate Port Melbourne supporter growing up, Bob Skilton listened to his father’s advice and joined the red and white. It didn’t take long for Skilton to fall in love with the Club he captained for 10 years and to create history wearing the number 14.
Skilton went on to win three Brownlow Medals, one of only four players in the game’s history to do so, claim nine Club Champion awards, kick 412 goals in 237 matches and was later made captain of the Swans team of the century and named in the AFL team of the century.
When Skilton thought considered who might be inducted in the inaugural Swans Hall of Fame, he couldn’t look past a few of his former teammates.
“We must have had some great players in the 1930’s, we made four grand finals in a row and only won one of them but nonetheless we were there,” Skilton said.
“Certainly when I started – Ron Clegg, he’s the best player I’ve played with, along with people like Peter Bedford and you can keep going.
“We’ve had some great players but I haven’t had the pleasure of seeing all of them.”
After the heights Skilton reached in the red and white, the history of the number 14 didn’t end in 1971, the year he retired.
Another player came along and added to the coveted guernsey to become a Brownlow Medallist, Swans captain for 10 years, dual All-Australian captain, four time Club best and fairest winner and led the Club to their first grand final in 51 years. He was Paul Kelly.
Kelly admits when he arrived at the Club and was given the number 14 guernsey, he didn’t realise the significance of it. He followed rugby league and didn’t really appreciate the honour bestowed upon him.
After Kelly ended his career, his guernsey was retired for five years until a young New South Welshman was welcomed to the Club.
Currently in his third year at the Swans, Craig Bird is becoming a consistent on-baller and an integral part of the team.
As the Club officially launched its inaugural Hall of Fame – It’s In The Blood, Sydneyswans.com.au spoke to the three players who have worn the number 14 guernsey to ask them for their top five choices.
“The trouble is I am going to forget somebody, like the bloke over there, Paul Kelly. He’s my favourite footballer ever, I wouldn’t say he’s the best, but he’s my favourite, just the way he went about it, the way he played his football,” Skilton said.
While Kelly wished he could have named Michael O’Loughlin, he couldn’t look past Tony Lockett, Dennis Carroll, Daryn Cresswell and Andrew Dunkley alongside his first choice, Skilton.
Bird had a more difficult task compiling his list, having not seen many of the past players in action. His two childhood idols, Tony Lockett and Paul Kelly, made Bird’s top five.
“[Paul] Roosy, he would be down definitely, he was such a consistent, dominant player for the Swans,” Bird said.
“Stuey Maxfield would be another one I would nominate. He was one of my favourite players growing up, just how hard and tough he was, someone I really loved to come watch at the footy.”
On July 18 2009, 100 years on from the 1909 South Melbourne victory over Carlton, in which the Swans won the Club’s first VFL (AFL) premiership, a celebration of the history and those who made it will be held at Melbourne’s Crown Casino at It’s In The Blood - the inaugural Hall Of Fame event.
The dinner will follow the Carlton v Swans match at Docklands Stadium with the Sydney Swans 22 players plus coaching staff in attendance to celebrate the first premiership and 135 years of Club memories and magic moments.
Celebrate with the Swans at this landmark event. Click here for more details.
