In tomorrow’s Grand Final Swan Lance Franklin has the chance to win his second consecutive premiership at two different clubs. While this would be a rare feat, it is not unique. 

Of the more than 12,200 men who have played League football since 1897, only two players in VFL/AFL history have achieved this feat in the past: Jim ‘Bull’ Martin and Tom Fitzmaurice. Both these men played for Essendon.

Jim Martin played for three league clubs: Carlton, Essendon and Fitzroy and it was at Essendon in 1912 and Fitzroy in 1913 the Martin became the first man to win consecutive premierships at two different clubs.

Martin was a vigorous type not unaccustomed to raising the ire of umpires or opposition fans. He was suspended in 1911 for 12 weeks for striking Fitzroy player George Holden causing him to miss Essendon’s 1911 premiership win over Collingwood. Essendon took the case to court where, on appeal, he was found not guilty. The League was then in the awkward position of having suspended a player for an offence which the court decreed he had not committed. However it refused to budge and Martin missed the remainder of the 1911 season including the grand final.

But he was back in 1912 and played in Essendon’s premiership win over South Melbourne.

In 1913 after round 9, Martin made the switch to Fitzroy. There he became the team mate of Holden, the man at the centre of his 12 week suspension, and together they were part of Fitzroy’s fifth premiership that year and so became part of football history.

Tom Fitzmaurice was the second player to win consecutive premierships at different clubs, in his case it was Essendon in 1924 and Geelong in 1925.

Fitzmaurice was a fine athlete, state high jump record holder, singer of some renown and with the looks of a Hollywood leading man. He was a three-time Essendon best and fairest winner and among the best players of all time.

Fitzmaurice came to Essendon from East Melbourne CYMS in 1918 and very soon became an idol to supporters. After only three seasons he was transferred to Sydney in his employment and joined North Sydney. He captained N.S.W. in a game against Victoria while there.

On his return in 1922 Fitzmaurice he was appointed Essendon vice-captain and continued to perform superbly. Fitzmaurice starred in the 1923 and 1924 premiership victories, and was the club’s best and fairest player in 1922, 1923 and 1924. He was also selected in the Victorian State side in 1919, 1920, 1922, 1923 and 1924.

Fitzmaurice left Essendon under controversial circumstances immediately after the 1924 season, believing that some of his team mates had taken money to lose the final game of the round robin finals series that was played that year, knowing that the premiership had all-but been won. Fitzmaurice quit the club and joined Geelong where he had shares in a pub.

At Geelong Fitzmaurice won his third consecutive premiership there in 1925, and became  only the second player in league history win consecutive premierships at two different clubs.

This weekend Buddy Franklin may become the third.