Career: 1971-1985
Games: 294
Goals: 48
Brownlow Medal: 165 career votes
Guernsey numbers: 27
Height: 180cm
Weight: 79kg
DOB: 23 October 1951 (Debut:19y 162d, last game:33y 327d)
Recruited from: Brunswick
The question of North's greatest player is not likely to be settled this side of Judgement Day - if only because there are too many enjoyable arguments in it. And always there's the prospect of another great player on the royal blue and white horizon. But Keith Greig would have to be a top contender. Certainly, there can be no question as to the name of the player who has given to the club its highest recognition factor.
Keith Greig's eminence in that regard is beyond question. He was not only a member of The Immortal Twenty, he was also the first North player to receive a Brownlow Medal for the club in 1973, and he went on to repeat the feat the following year. To all these accolades was added the honour of being named a Member of the British Empire in the Queen's Birthday Honours List in 1975 for his services to sport. As a person and a contestant he is one of the most revered North Melbourne players of all time.
From his debut season at Arden Street in 1971 he displayed his sensational dashing style on the wing and his uncanny ball-handling skills. His technical brilliance was highlighted for the enthusiastic spectator by the sheen of his red hair, the paleness of his complexion and the white ankle guards that emphasised his smooth, striding style as he regularly contributed effectively to North's team achievement. That year he was selected to play for Victoria, a feat that became close to an annual event. It amounted on 13 occasions, the honour of the captaincy coming in 1978, after he had missed the best part of two seasons with a serious knee injury. A similar accident had deprived him of leading the Kangaroos to victory in 1977. All told, he had 23 finals appearances.
As well as being a member of North's first VFL premiership side, he also won the Syd Barker Medal in 1980. He had the honour of being captain of the club from 1976 till he resigned the post during 1979. Not surprisingly, he also attained life membership of the North Melbourne Football Club to which he brought so much glory.
At the age of 33 he decided to bring his 15-year career to an end, with the then club record of 294 games. This included three interstate games played on the same that North played a rostered match, and which spanned the years 1971 to 1985. During that period, playing on the wing and on the half-back line he still managed to kick 48 goals.
During his retirement, he maintained a keen interest in everything associated with the club he served so well, and in 1992 came back as a chairman of selectors. In 1996 he was named on the wing in the AFL's Team of the Century, and was inducted into its Hall of Fame.
VFL/AFL: 8314th player to appear
North Melbourne: 631st player to appear
Profile from 'The North Story'
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