Capper-mania has hit us ahead of Sunday’s clash against the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba.
Capper’s 124-game career, first with the Swans then with the formerly named Brisbane Bears, was packed full of thrills, spills, goals (388 of them), aerial aerobatics, interesting hairdos and tighter-than-most footy shorts.
To celebrate the blonde crusader, sydneyswans.com.au has plucked arguably five of Capper’s best games from the record books for your reading pleasure.
This list, of course, is up for some healthy debate. Drop us a line if we’ve missed one or you want to have your say one of the biggest names from the ‘80s.
Round 1, 1987 – Collingwood vs Sydney, Victoria Park
Dennis Carroll and Craig Holden, former teammates of Capper and current members of the Sydney Swans’ support staff, remember this particular match very well.
Besides the 91-point demolition of the Magpies, all the talk revolved around Capper who walked away with a nine-goal bag and the displeasure of the majority 17,129 fans who witnessed the ‘clinic’ at the Pies’ former home base.
“Everything he touched turned to gold,” Carroll said. “If he was anywhere within range, you backed him in without doubt.”
Capper booted seven before half-time and, according to reports, copped plenty from members of the home crowd as ‘The Wiz’ walked off the ground.
Round 8, 1986 – Sydney vs Richmond, SCG
In 124 games, Capper managed the one double-figure haul and that came against Richmond in the then 22-year-old’s fourth season of VFL football.
Capper kicked 10.1 which stands as the third best individual effort from any individual in matches played between the two clubs, behind Richmond’s Jack Baggott (12.6 in Round 9, 1929) and Sydney’s Tony Lockett (12.3 in Round 19, 1996).
“I don’t remember too much as it was some time ago now,” Carroll added. “But by the look of my stats I must have fed him the ball quite a bit from centre-half-back.”
Capper would go on to finish second behind Collingwood’s Brian Taylor in the Coleman Medal that season as the Swans finished second on the ladder.
Qualifying Final, 1987 – Hawthorn v Sydney, Waverley Park
Capper booted four goals in the Swans’ 99-point loss to the Hawks, but that’s not why we've chosen this particular match.
Of all the high-flying marks Capper took in his fabled career, there’s one that has stood the test of time and will be replayed for many years to come.
Capper launch himself on the shoulders of Hawthorn's Chris Langford to take what many consider one of the greatest marks in The Wiz's time.
Capper pretty early for your average footballer, hung on to end up almost horizontal before grasping the footy in his mercurial hands.
Round 10, 1989 – Carlton vs Brisbane Bears, Princes Park
The Brisbane Bears did, what was considered at the time, the unspeakable.
In front the Blues' faithful at what's now known as Visy Park, Brisbane pulled off a come-from-behind three-point win which subsequently brought about Carlton coach Robert Walls' demise.
Capper was kept relatively quiet (by his standards) with three goals up until the dying minutes of the game when, after taking a speccy over defender Warren McKenzie, the crafty forward sunk the Blues' hearts and Wallis with a 65m bomb.
Capper saw Walls a few weeks later: "He was laughing about it by then, but sometimes it's fate. Everyone has their time in the sun."
Round 11, 1988 – Brisbane Bears v Richmond, Carrara
Capper regards the Bears' Round 11 clash with Richmond as his only good one from 1988.
Brisbane smashed the Tigers by 48 points on the Sunday afternoon and Capper, who was celebrating his 25th birthday, walked away with a mighty strut after kicking eight goals in front of his adoring fans at Carrara.
That game would mark the last time Capper, who was in ripping touch to that point in the season, would kick more than six goals in a single match.
Brisbane, sitting pretty off the back of the emphatic win, would win one more game for the rest of the season to finish second last on the ladder.