Australian Football

After commencing his senior playing career with a brief stint at Essendon Association, Gordon McCracken crossed to Fitzroy in 1920 just as the 'Roys were beginning to re-emerge as a league power. A ruckman whose best was the equal of anyone's in the competition, McCracken was a driving force behind Fitzroy's surge to the 1922 premiership, and led the rucks in the Challenge Final win over Collingwood. In the following year's Challenge Final against Essendon, however, he was forced to leave the ground with an injury, and without their premier big man the 'Roys lost their way, and went under by 17 points. Although McCracken resumed in 1924, and indeed carried on for another four seasons, he was never quite the same player. When he retired at the end of the 1927 season he had played a total of 109 VFL games, and kicked 61 goals. He was a VFL interstate representative in 1923.

Author - John Devaney