Australian Football

Gary Pert was a success from the time he first pulled on a Fitzroy jumper in 1982 at the age of 16. Powerful, highly skilled and a superb aerialist, he could hold down any key position, but the Lions tended to use him most often in defence. When he made his interstate debut for Victoria in 1984 he was, at 18, the youngest player to do so since Carl Ditterich 20 years earlier. The following year he achieved All Australian selection.

Towards the end of his nine-season, 163-game stint at Fitzroy Pert began to suffer from knee problems, but he still played well enough to secure the club's 1989 best and fairest award. Traded to Collingwood in 1991, he missed a year with injury, but came back strongly to play some excellent football in his final 70 league games between 1992 and 1995. In 2002 he was chosen on a half back flank in Fitzroy's official 'Team of the Twentieth Century'.

Author - John Devaney