Australian Football

One of the classiest players of his era Strang arrived at Punt Road from Albury in 1931 and put in an outstanding debut season culminating in a fine game at centre half forward in Richmond's losing Grand Final team of that year. 12 months later he did even better with four goals and a best on ground performance - once again at centre half forward - in the Tigers' nine-point Grand Final defeat of arch-rivals Carlton. 

A strong, safe mark and an excellent kick Strang was frequently seen to best effect in big games. He was also highly versatile: two years on from the 1932 flag triumph he gave an equally adept display at centre half back as Richmond overcame its 1933 nemesis South Melbourne in a one-sided Grand Final. Nine appearances in a Big V jumper afford further evidence of his talent and 'big game' temperament. When his VFL career ended in 1938 (having spent the 1937 season captain-coaching North Launceston) after just 116 games Tigers fans would have been unanimous in feeling short-changed.

Strang took on the role of captain-coach of Wodonga in 1939 and led his charges to a premiership in that season with a Grand Final victory over Albury, which just happened to be coach by his brother Doug. Strang also won his club's best-and-fairest award in that season and in 1940. Stan collapsed and died in 1951, aged just 43. His brother Doug died three years later in a car accident, at a similarly tragic age of 41.

Author - John Devaney, with updates by Andrew Gigacz