Warwick Armstrong is the only man to captain Australia in Test Cricket and play in a Grand Final at AFL level. He was a member of the losing South Melbourne team which lost the 1899 Premiership-deciding match to Fitzroy. He was skipper of Australia when it defeated England in eight consecutive Tests during the early 1920s.
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Jim Flynn announced his retirement aged 37 after being a member of Carlton’s 1908 Premiership team. Surprisingly, he made a brief comeback two years later by donning his navy uniform for a 1910 Semi Final against South Melbourne, aged 39 years 180 days, to become the oldest ever finals player.
Collingwood’s Ted Rowell also made a comeback after almost a season’s absence when he played for the Magpies against Carlton in the 1915 Grand Final, just 94 days beyond his 39th birthday.
Third on the list is durable Hawk, Michael Tuck who was 38 years 95 days of age when he led his team to victory against West Coast in the 1991 Grand Final.
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Brothers Vic and Alan Belcher were members of the South Melbourne and Essendon teams respectively in a 1912 Second Semi Final at the MCG. Remarkably, they were opposing captains. No other finals match has produced such family rivalry.
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In 1916 just four clubs competed due to war-time constraints. Twelve Home and Away rounds were played. Fitzroy won its first two matches and tied the next before losing nine in succession to slide into last place on the ladder.
It automatically qualified for finals participation and remarkably, won all three such encounters to claim the Premiership.
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Bill James experienced a brief, yet memorable League career. He played his early football for Kyabram. Richmond officials were aware of his ability and called on his services after several players became unavailable due to injury on the eve of the 1920 Grand Final. He scored a goal on debut to help his team win the Premiership from Collingwood. After the match, he returned to the country, and unfortunately ended his football career weeks later when he severely damaged toes on one foot in a rabbit-shooting accident.
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One of the oldest players to make his League debut was 33 year-old Essendon follower, George Rawle who played his first match in the 1923 Grand final against Fitzroy. He helped his team achieve victory, and managed 18 more matches, including selection in the Dons' 1924 Premiership squad.
Before joining Essendon he had given valuable service to North Melbourne, who was then a member of the VFA. In fact, he played in three Premiership teams with that club. To his great credit, he played despite having a deformed foot which had to be tightly bandaged before every match.
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Three sets of twins have gained selection in Premiership teams - George & Teddy Lockwood (Collingwood 1902-03), Alistair & Stewart Lord (Geelong 1963) and Brad & Chris Scott (Brisbane 2001-02).
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The only time that brothers were opposing coaches in a finals match occurred in the 1960 Second Semi Final. Melbourne, guided by Norm Smith defeated Fitzroy, coached by his sibling, Len.
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Denis Pagan achieved finals participation in each of his first eight years in charge of North Melbourne (1993-2000). No other man can match that record.
Mick Malthouse led West Coast to such appearances in each of his 10 seasons with the club, but he had earlier coached Bulldogs teams which failed to play in September in five of his six years in the Kennel.
Frank ‘Checker’ Hughes inspired the Tigers to September action in his first six seasons at the helm (1927-32), as did Kevin Sheedy at Essendon (1981-86) and West Coast’s John Worsfold (2003-07).
