In North Melbourne’s history, seven former players have tragically had their lives cut short while on active duty.

With ANZAC Day approaching on Saturday, NMFC.com.au looks back at those who were taken too soon.

Player

VFL career

Location of death

Date of death

George Brock

1941

OAS, You Yangs, VIC

2/8/1941

Alf Goonan

1925-1926

OAS

22/1/1942

Len Johnson

1929-1933

Singapore

24/01/1942

Bert Peters

1930-1931

KIA

13/06/1944

Beres Reilly

1935-1938

Over Crete

23/07/1943

Mo Shapir

1935

Middle East

15/08/1942

Len Thomas

1927-1940

Salamaua, New Guinea

17/08/1943

Alf Goonan was part of North Melbourne’s first ever VFL team and is listed as Shinboner number six. He was an early leader in the club’s goal kicking, booting 11 in the first five matches of the 1925 season.

The player from the table who played the most games for North was Bert Peters. Born in 1908, he played 17 games for the club in 1930-31 and unfortunately went without a win.

Three of the seven above played for multiple VFL clubs. Len Thomas played more than 200 games for South Melbourne and Hawthorn before finishing his career at North in 1940, while Beres Reilly’s 12 career games were split across three clubs; North, St Kilda and Melbourne.

Len Johnson played for Essendon and North Melbourne in the same season – spending Round 3-5 on the field for the Bombers before finishing the season with the Kangaroos.

Mo Shapir and George Brock played 11 games between them in 1935 and 1941 respectively.