Australian Football

He may not have been the most eye-catching of performers but Peter Russo was an extremely versatile and highly effective footballer. Hawthorn recruited him from Pakenham, and he took his VFL bows in 1978. In that season's winning Grand Final against North Melbourne he put in a serviceable effort as a forward pocket and change ruck-rover. Russo could also perform well in a range of other positions, including the back pocket and wing, and was a key if underrated figure in Hawthorn's emergence as the leading club in the VFL during the 1980s.

Russo missed the winning Grand Final against Essendon in 1983 with injury, but played in the premiership team of 1986, as well as in the losing Grand Finals of 1984-5 and 1987. At his peak during the mid '80s, Russo represented Victoria in 1985. After 162 VFL games and 102 goals for the Hawks he crossed to St Kilda - the club for which his father Felix played - in 1989 and continued to produce useful football for two more seasons, during which he played 33 games and booted 20 goals.

Author - John Devaney