Australian Football

Recruited by Hawthorn from Old Xaverians, Des Meagher made his VFL debut with the Hawks in 1966, and at the end of the season he was widely acclaimed as one of the best first year players in the competition. Tall and slender, he could fill a variety of positions, but was best suited to the wing, which was where he made his interstate debut in 1967. In the game against South Australia in Adelaide his outpointing of future champion Barrie Robran was heavily instrumental in setting up the Big V's eventual six-point win.

Noted for his swiftness off the mark as well as his long, raking left foot kicks, Des Meagher was one of Hawthorn's best in the 1971 Grand Final defeat of St Kilda. He enjoyed an excellent year in 1973 when he again made the state side, but after that his form fell away and he was only named as a reserve for the 1975 Grand Final, in which the Hawks went under to North Melbourne.

Meagher retired a year later after 198 VFL games. He later coached Hawthorn's reserves.

Author - John Devaney