Shinboner number: 313
Guernsey numbers: 2, 15, 24, 1
Born: August 11, 1925
Died: September 8, 2017
North Melbourne games: 149 (1943–1954)
Goals: 83
Captain: 1947, 1952–53
North Melbourne Hall of Fame inductee: 2011

North Melbourne’s first era of success in the VFL almost invariably saw Kevin Dynon featuring in the list of best players. Tall for a centreman of his time (179cm) and very solid (85kg), Dynon’s dynamic mix of strength and skill was a feature of the North sides that made the finals in 1945, 1949, 1950 and 1954.

Dynon made his way into North Melbourne’s team via local ranks, playing for St Joseph’s CBC, Kensington YCW and North Colts before making his debut in the opening round of the 1943 season, still not yet 18 years old. He immediately established himself in the middle of the ground, his accurate left-foot kicks rarely missing a target up forward.

Unfortunately military service with the Royal Australian Air Force intervened over the next few years, and between 1944 and 1946, Dynon played only 10 matches for the Northerners. His reputation was not forgotten in that period, however, and North recalled him for the last round and first semi-final of the 1946 season, such was the regard in which he was held. North lost that semi-final to Carlton and Dynon later reflected that it was perhaps unfair for him to return the side so late in the season at the expense of another.

Returning as a regular in mid-1946, Dynon impressed to the point that he was rewarded with the captaincy the following year, becoming the club’s youngest skipper to date at the tender age of 21. Perhaps the responsibility was a bit much for someone so young, as the Shinboners won only four games in that season and Les Foote took on the leadership role in 1948.

Dynon took the demotion in his stride and continued to play fine football from the ‘pivot’, setting up many forward moves as North improved as a team, reaching a preliminary final in 1949 and the Grand Final the following year. Dynon established himself as a formidable finals force in those two series, listed amongst his side’s best in both preliminary finals and in the 1950 Grand Final.

North Melbourne missed the finals in the following three years but Dynon, who resumed the captaincy in 1952–53, continued his fine form and he was still first choice in the centre when North again made it to September in 1954. The Kangaroos went down in the first semi-final to Melbourne but Dynon still had an impact, gathering 13 possessions in what was to be his last match in the blue and white.

Dynon transferred to VFA side Moorabbin as captain-coach the following year but he left teammates and fans with many fond memories of a fine career that spanned 149 matches across 12 seasons, a figure that would have been much higher had not World War Two robbed him of almost three seasons in his prime.