Shinboner number: 644
Guernsey number: 6
Born: August 20, 1955
North Melbourne games: 161 (1972-83)
Goals: 279
North Melbourne Hall of Fame inductee: 2026

As North Melbourne tried desperately to overrun Collingwood in the 1977 Grand Final, Arnold Briedis's inaccuracy in front of goal threatened to cost them a second premiership. 

He kicked seven behinds and no goals, as North held on for a thrilling draw. The next week, however, in the replay, the 22-year-old showed what he was made of, gathering 28 disposals from half-forward and kicking a team-high 5.3 to help propel his side to the flag. 

In 2002, the AFL Record, using video replays of Grand Finals from 1975-78, formed a panel to vote on the best on ground in the period before the Norm Smith Medal was instituted in 1979; Briedis was voted best in the ’77 rematch. He had also kicked five goals in the 1975 victory.

Recruited as a 16-year-old in 1972, from Paramount Football Club, a club in North’s allotted metropolitan zone in Coburg North, Briedis was a boy in a man’s body, and his love of competition was perfect for finals football.

Briedis had the talent, coach Ron Barassi then added the finishing touches by unleashing his inner beast. Indeed, throughout the 1970s, Briedis would provide a key focal point for North’s many attacking defenders and skilful midfielders to aim for.

He was mobile, too, for a big man of that era, (189cm, 86kg) and, much like Wayne Carey after him, Briedis would roam beyond half-forward in order to present a marking option or to create a hole in North’s forward line. His 38 goals in 19 finals was a club record until passed by Carey (59 goals, 23 finals) in the 1990s. This is esteemed company indeed: third on the list is Malcolm Blight (35, 22).