A history of shared players - MFC and FFC

There's no time for a fancy introduction. It does what it says on the tin.

Bill McIntyre
MFC 1920 (3 games), Footscray 1925 (13 games)
World War I veteran who found himself at Melbourne for three consecutive games in 1920. Cleared to play with then-VFA side Footscray in 1920 and remained there through their first league season. Later went back to the VFA with Brighton, who later became Caulfield, who later became defunct.

Eric Andersen
MFC 1926 (2 games), Footscray 1929-1930 (22 games)
From 'Point Cook Flying School', the greatest place any player has even been recruited from. You'd never doubt the courage of anyone who dared to fly planes in the 1920s, but he only had a short career with us, with two games at the start of 1926. Then went to Brighton (them again), and Castlemaine, before returning for two league seasons in 1929.

Peter Hannan
MFC 1927 (2 games), Footscray 1933 (6 games)
There's not a lot of long, fruitful careers in this list so far. Peter - no relation to Mitch as far as we can tell - had a five year break between two short cracks at the VFL. Called up as a late replacement for his debut, he added one more game in 1927 before being cleared to Prahran early the next year. Reappeared with the Dogs in 1933 for six more games then went back to Prahran. Died at age 29 in 1938, cause unknown.

Percy Streeter
MFC 1933 (2 games), Footscray 1934 (5 games)
Originally from Williamstown and Newport, the Tricolours had first rights to Streeter if they wanted him. That they did not, and he found his way to Melbourne for two games, 13 weeks apart, in 1933. This finally got Footscray interested, and he joined them for five games the next year. Stayed local and went to VFA side Yarraville the next year, playing in their 1935 flag.  

Frank Halloran
MFC 1935 (2 games), Footscray 1937 (4 games)
Originally came from Kyneton, Halloran went back there after his short stint with the Dees, then played four games with the Dogs in 1937 before going back to Kyneton for good. His son Danny played 15 games for Carlton in the 1970s. Should have applied for a father/son rule exemption, the way we were going in the 70s he'd probably have played 150 for us.

Jack Coolahan
MFC 1937 (3 games), Footscray 1938 (12 games)
Mortlake's 'Cactus' Coolahan was promoted from the seconds for three games in mid-1937, before being cleared to Footscray early the next year. Played in their 1938 finals side before leaving. Some debate whether his name was actually spelt 'Coulihan' or 'Coulahan' - an early version of when people thought our team had players called Maloney, Wonimiri, Jarrah, Pettard and McClean.

Stan Penberthy
Footscray 1932-1937 (75 games), MFC 1937 (11 games)
The first man to join us from the Dogs since their entry into the VFL, Penberthy was originally from Western Australia. He had a controversial old time at the Western Oval, refused a clearance when he cracked the sads after being dropped in 1934, but bouncing back to captain them two years later. 

Dropped from that job at the start of 1937 he was effectively delisted by the Dogs in June of that year. This caused the fans to go off (presumably not on the forums), leading to the committee registering a vote of confidence in the Chairman of Selectors. For the first time ever the vote of confidence displayed actual confidence and Penberthy had to find another club. He chose Melbourne over St Kilda because his boss was involved at the club, playing out the season with us before retiring.

Hughie McPherson
Footscray 1939-1940 (13 games), MFC 1941-1944 (37 games)
Spent two years at the Bulldogs before crossing to Melbourne during the war. Even with our playing stocks ravaged by military service, his best haul was 15 games in 1943. Better known as a runner for Norm Smith from 1954, where he would pass messages under the guise of treating injured players, and in 1959 was reported for using abusive language. Legend suggests it was his idea to play Ron Barassi as a ruck/rover.

Bob Spargo
Footscray 1934-1941 (65 games), MFC 1942 (2 games)
The head of the Spargo dynasty that ultimately led to Charlie was rarely a regular at the Western Oval across eight seasons. His best year was 1938, when he played 15 games and got nine Brownlow votes. A fireman by trade, Spargo was recruited by Melbourne to fill one of many gaps caused by players lost to war service. Appeared in two consecutive games at the start of 1942 then disappeared. Not literally, that would be tragic.

Frank Scanlan
MFC 1943-1944, 1947-1948 (33 games), Footscray 1949 (18 games)
Debuted shortly after his 16th birthday, playing seven games across his two seasons. Missed 1945 and 1946 while serving in the Navy, before coming back for 26 more games. Followed his brother Bill to Footscray in 1949, playing one season there before going to Port Fairy as playing coach.

Bill Scanlan
MFC 1943-1948 (51 games), Footscray 1949-1953 (72 games)
The first player to jump to the Dogs after more than 50 games for us. In 1947 the Football Record unkindly referred to 'Kanga' Scanlan as "one of the worst kicks in league football". Jumped to Footscray along with his brother at the start of 1949, where he was a regular until 1953. 

John Kerr 
Footscray 1953-1958 (81 games), MFC 1958 (1 game)
Originally wanted to play for Melbourne but lived in Footscray territory and couldn't convince them to let him go. Must have forgotten his pro-MFC sentiment when he was one of their best in the 1954 Grand Final. Left midway through 1958, finally landing at Melbourne and playing one game as a late replacement for an injured Bluey Adams. Kicked two goals but lost his spot when Adams recovered and went to Mordialloc in the VFA. Not the guy who sacked Gough Whitlam.

Greg Parke
MFC 1968-1973 (119 games), Footscray 1974-1975 (37 games)
Bucket-handed centre half-forward who took a ludicrous 24 marks in a game in 1970. Signed with South Adelaide in 1973, but even after resigning from his job with the police, Melbourne wouldn't clear him. Instead he was swapped to Footscray for Garry Baker, Charles Pagnoccolo and John Keast. Hopefully he did a George Costanza and just walked back into walk the next morning, pretending he'd never quit. Parke finally made it to the SANFL with Norwood in 1976, before coming back for a year with Fitzroy.

Garry Baker
Footscray 1972-1973 (14 games), MFC 1974-1981 (127 games)
The most famous Melbourne beard before Max Gawn came from Footscray's Gippsland zone, but was surplus to requirements and swapped as part of the deal for Parke. The other two played a single game between them, but Baker gave much greater value over eight seasons with the Demons. He had issues with injuries, in 1979 he injured his knee colliding with Tony Shaw in an exhibition basketball game, then hurt it again a year later.

According to Baker nobody told him he was delisted at the start of 1983 until he turned up to the jumper presentation night and they got to #54 without his name being read out. I don't believe it, but would make a great story if you'd been on the piss in the Hobart pub he ran after retiring.

Ted Carroll
Footscray 1973 (1 game), MFC 1974-1977 (31 games)
Another from Footscray's country zone, his career at the Western Oval extended to one statless game. Spent four years at Melbourne and won the Reserves best and fairest in his second last season. Appeared for another three games at Collingwood in 1978 while sporting a ripping moustache. Apparently nicknamed Christmas, and I'm not sure I want to know why.

Charles Pagnoccolo
Footscray 1970-1973 (46 games), MFC 1974 (1 game)
Described as one of the recruits of the year in 1970, he was out of favour after four seasons at Footscray and flogged to Melbourne as part of the Greg Parke deal. Came off the bench once to kick 0.3 and wasn't invited back. Later tried his hand at professional athletics.

Terry Wilkins
Footscray 1973-1974 (20 games), MFC 1975-1976 (14 games)
Fringe player across both his VFL stints, Wilkins found more fame at Sandringham in the VFA. He captained them, played in a Grand Final, was runner up in the Liston Trophy, and later made their team of the century.

Jamie Barham
MFC 1981 (4 games), Footscray 1982 (1 game)
Originally zoned to Collingwood, he joined Melbourne after three years of living in their zone while playing for Gisborne. After four games in the 1981 wooden spoon campaign, he went to Footscray in 1982 and they won the spoon too, making him one of just eight players in league history to do a back-to-back spoon double at different clubs.

Brian Wilson
Footscray 1978-1979 (9 games), MFC 1982-1990 (154 games)
A rare case of not crossing directly between the clubs, but still a candidate for the finest player ever to appear for both. Wilson had two years at North Melbourne in between, leaving Footscray 

After Royce Hart told him he'd spend 1980 with the Under 19s, Wilson shoved off to North and finished third in their 1981 B&F. Just one of the many great decisions that helped rhyming slang Royce to an 8-45 coaching record. With his value fattened up, Wilson was then flogged to Melbourne alongside Steven Icke to raise money for the Krakoeur brothers.

For the second time he proved his old club wrong, beating former teammate Ross Glendinning for one of the most unexpected Brownlow wins of all time. Though he never hit the heights of that season again, he was one of his side's most exciting, and excitable, players for the rest of the decade. Battled dozens of injuries during the rest of his career, including a broken arm after sliding into the MCG fence during a practice match.

Retired at the end of 1990 after a severe hamstring injury late in the season but was convinced to make a comeback with St Kilda. Played his best game against Melbourne with six goals and suggested he might have stayed if they'd tried to talk him out of retirement. John Northey called bullshit, saying "He's retired every year since I've been here."

Kelvin Templeton
Footscray 1974-1982 (143 games) , MFC 1983-1985 (34 games)
Kicked 118 goals in 1978, including 15 in one game, and won the 1980 Brownlow Medal before falling out of favour at Footscray due to injuries. Always desperate for goalkickers, Melbourne paid a metric shitload to sign Templeton in 1983. His signature came easy, but Footscray's clearance didn't, eventually having to go through the Supreme Court. The Dogs counter-claimed that he was in breach of a five year contract, before finally settling on a $150,000 fee over a bottle of wine. Not the last decision made at this club where you wonder if our negotiator was pissed. 

Kicked eight in his second game but continued to be troubled by injury. Looked to have regained some of his old form with 51 in 16 games during his second year, then missed the first half of 1985 with foot problems. He was dropped from the list in the 1986 pre-season, so ravaged by injury he was barely able to kick over the man on the mark. A few years earlier this wouldn't have disqualified him from playing in our forward line.

Les Bamblett
MFC 1983 (11 games), Footscray 1984-1988 (37 games)
Initially reluctant to join Melbourne, he changed his mind after a 'chance meeting' with Ron Barassi on the streets of Shepparton. Surely Ron was lying in wait and deliberately 'accidentally' walked into him. However they did it, the plan worked. Bamblett won the Morrish Medal for best player in the Under 19s and debuted in the opening round the next year. 

Unhappy at Melbourne, he wanted to go to Richmond and play alongside Maurice Rioli and Phil Egan. The clubs couldn't agree a price and he went back to Shepparton. Eventually swapped to the Dogs in exchange for the rights to a young Steve O'Dwyer.

David Allday
MFC 1985-1986 (15 games), Footscray 1988 (6 games)
From the great line of '80s players who look like disappointed PE teachers, Allday scored six Brownlow votes in 1986, and was rewarded by being sacked in the pre-season because we had too many ruckmen on the list. The later success of O'Dwyer and Jim Stynes suggests it was a fair decision. After a year off he came back to the VFL with Footscray, then played for Werribee.

Tony Campbell
MFC 1986-1991 (75 games), Footscray 1992-1993, 1996 (43 games)
The all-time #1 Melbourne player who looked like he should be in an episode of The Sopranos, Campbell bounced between defence attack before being traded to the Dogs at the end of 1991. One of the first AFL players to try a punting career in the NFL, Campbell didn't make it and returned for a single game with the Dogs in 1996. Liked to get around in a glove.

Dean Chiron
Footscray 1986 (1 game), MFC 1987-1989 (17 games)
Originally at St Kilda, Chiron kicked six in a game in his debut season but only played four times the following year. After 12 months in the country, he turned up at the Western Oval in 1986 and played once, before getting a third chance at Melbourne. Played the first final in 1987 but was suspended and didn't make it back into the side. Owner of one of the most 80s haircuts you'll ever see.

Luke Beveridge
MFC 1989-1992 (42 games), Footscray 1993-1995 (31 games)
Fringe player in three of his four seasons at Melbourne, playing a career best 21 times in the still popular 1991 campaign. Fell out of favour the next year and only played six more times before being traded to the Dogs. Played a further three seasons there before going to St Kilda for four more years. Later went into coaching, and we hope he ends this season with one premiership to his name.

Allen Jakovich
MFC 1991-1994 (47 games), Footscray 1996 (7 games)
Truly a man who needs no introduction, after bursting onto the scene in late 1991 by kicking goals left, right and centre. Did more of the same at a slower pace for the next three seasons when not injured. Kicked eight in his last game, then missed all of 1995 before the Dogs inexplicably used pick nine in the National Draft on him. Imagine the scenes if a club used a top 10 pick like that now. Did next to nothing with the Dogs except look bored in Year of the Dogs while Steve Wallis was giving a tearful retirement speech. Still a chance to appear in celebrations if we win on Saturday. 

Adrian Campbell
Footscray 1988-1990, 1992 (30 games), MFC 1993 (2 games)
Forward picked up after four seasons with the Dogs. Handed #1, he wasn't treated like a #1, waiting until Round 21 to play. Kicked three goals in a mauling of Richmond, and two the next week, but did his ankle and missed all of 1994 before being delisted. Generous AFLW recruiting rules meant we could still select his daughter Georgia.

Craig Ellis
Footscray 1994-2001 (107 games), MFC 2002 (15 games)
Defender who nearly retired to become a pilot at the end of 1995, remaining to play with the Dogs for eight years. Joined us at 27 but looked about 47 in his profile photo. Before debuting for us he had to serve a two match suspension for belting new captain David Neitz. Held a spot in our backline until doing his knee. Retired, started a clothing company that went bust, then bounced back with a swimwear company that's raking in big money.

Stephen Powell
Footscray 1997-1999 (30 games), MFC 2000, 2002 (44 games)
People always remember what they were doing when 9/11 happened, I remember discovering we'd traded for Powell while reading a complimentary copy of the Herald Sun in the now-defunct Bourke Road, Camberwell McDonalds. Wall-to-wall coverage of trade week was clearly another few years away. 

Even then I had no interest in players from other clubs, so there wasn't a lot of excitement about it, but he was a huge part of our 2000 campaign, kicking 32 goals from the midfield, most of them in the wins that carried us to the Grand Final. He finished fourth in the B&F behind the lofty company of Woewodin, White and Yze - with a massive gap to fifth. 

Because nothing comes easy around here, he missed all of 2001 with popular injury scourge osteitis pubis. That didn't seem so bad when he came back to play almost all the next season, well down on goals but still a handy player. Not handy enough to get paid what he wanted (consider that this is the same off-season where we flogged Woewodin to try and balance the books), and off he went to St Kilda gratis. For years I was bitter about this, until finding people I was more upset with. He went alright at the Saints, playing in two losing Prelims, but never went close to replicating the form of that glorious 2000 campaign.   

Stefan Martin
MFC 2008-2012 (57 games), Footscray 2021- (8* games)
Ahh, the dear old SME. What are the odds that I'd get into a player at the absolute ground floor and follow him through his career, only to eventually see him win a premiership... against us. Hope he remembers me saying I was looking forward to seeing him next year outside the MCG shortly before a) we lost by about 85 points and b) he was flogged to Brisbane for a derisory draft pick, and acts accordingly.

At the time I was ropeable about trading him, but given that it led to us drafting Tom McSizzle AND eventually clearing the path for Gawn I'll reluctantly agree it was a good thing. Also work for the SME himself, who had a shizen start at Brisbane before Bradburying his way into the #1 ruck job that I'd had a sneaking suspicion he'd be good at. Eventually frozen out at the Lions he switched to Footscray for one last go at success this year, and I hope he personally has a nice time on the 25th but his team loses by 111 points.

Daniel Cross
Footscray 2002-2013 (210 games), MFC 2014-2015 (39 games)
The word 'culture' is usually only used in footy when you're making fun of somebody else, but that's exactly what Cross offered to a side that had just won two games in a season. Edged out of the Bulldogs after a long, successful career, you can easily argue that when they won a flag two years later it showed they were 100% right to chuck him. It was an equally good decision for us to recruit him, he was never going to play finals but joined Bernie Vince in providing much-needed stability and experience. Also helped that he played good footy in a still flimsy side.

Cross ended his MFC career in the most appropriate way, being carried off on a stretcher in a near-empty stadium, bravely giving the thumbs up like stuntman Lance Murdoch. One of the more fondly remembered stints of under 50 games in recent years.

Mitch Hannan
MFC 2017-2020 (50 games), Footscray 2021- (16* games)
Remember being was worried about losing the legacy of Gawn at Kardinia Park if we stuffed up the Prelim? I wonder if this game could sour memories of Mitch's great run in 2018? Unless he wins it in the same fashion, with BT yelling out random units of distance, I think the time elapsed will save it. Nevertheless, it's still something to know we could lose a flag to a player deemed surplus to requirements and chucked for a third round pick. 

No hard feelings towards Hannan or over the trade, I don't think he'd have played 16 games this season so best of British luck to him. Had his best game since 2018 again Port, hopefully it's out of the system and he reverts to the six touches/zero goals form that convinced us to trade him in the first place.