George Michael MOLONEY

PLAYER: 1927-45

GAMES: 289: Claremont 190; Geelong 88; WA 11

PREMIERHSIPS: Sandover Medal 1936; best and fairest Geelong 1932, Claremont 1936, 38; leading goal kicker VFL 1932, WAFL 1940; WA coach 1958-59

The Alex Jesaulenko of his era, a skilled player with the ability to be a match-winner in front of goal or in the midfield.  Only 173cm tall, George Moloney made a dazzling start to his career by kicking 19 goals in his opening two matches for Geelong.  Clever at ground level, he could ride bumps and stay in control of the ball which made him the ideal player for the rough and tumble football of his time.  Kicked 303 goals at Geelong, leading the VFL goal kicking in 1932 with 109 goals and finished second to Haydn Bunton sen.  in the Brownlow Medal count.  He polled 30 votes to win the 1936 Sandover Medal by a whopping nine votes.  Moloney, George Doig and Ted Tyson turned the next few years into a golden age for WA forwards.  Moloney kicked 129 goals in 1940 to win the goal kicking title and 106 the following year when he finished second to Doig.