Gus Dobrigh

Who is Gus Dobrigh?

L.A. 'Gus' Dobrigh was an Australian rules footballer who played with Collingwood in the Victorian Football League.

A half forward flanker in Collingwood's 1917 premiership team, Dobrigh was also a three time losing Grand Finalist. He was suspended by his club in 1919 over a payment dispute, but there were incorrect rumours at the time that it was because he had been suspected of playing dead in a game. After finishing with Collingwood at the end of 1921, Dobrigh moved to Port Melbourne in the Victorian Football Association, where he captained the club to a premiership in 1922; he was again caught up in a bribery scandal, being offered and turning down a significant sum of money by former Footscray player Vern Banbury to play dead in the Grand Final. He finished his career at Preston, where he was their inaugural VFA captain-coach in 1926. He would later return to Port Melbourne once his playing days were over, as coach.