Gary McIntosh (pictured)

If McIntosh, who made his league debut for the Redlegs in 1982, and went on to amass a club record 371 games over the course of the next seventeen seasons, ultimately became synonymous with Norwood, there was nevertheless an element of paradox about the inextricable association which developed between the working class, plain speaking, belligerently unkempt former Hope Valley junior and the arch 'blue-bloods' of the Parade.

If he looked somewhat out of place alongside the well-groomed likes of Michael Aish, Danny Jenkins, Phil Gallagher and Tom Warhurst, Macca's impact on the team was every bit as pronounced, and was apparent right from the start. In his debut season he was a key contributor - indeed, in the view of many observers, the best player afield - as the Redlegs overwhelmed Glenelg on grand final day to the tune of 62 points. Two years later he was again conspicuous as Norwood overcame its arch nemesis Port Adelaide by 9 points after battling its way through to the decisive match of the season from the elimination final.

As staunchly committed to South Australia as he was to the Redlegs - somewhat ironically, given that his father was a New South Welshman - McIntosh was often at his best in interstate matches, of which he would undoubtedly have played many more than his final tally of 12 had the state of origin selectors not elected, with dubious logic, to discount SANFL-based players from consideration following the arrival on the scene of the Crows. One reason for suggesting that the state selectors' logic was 'dubious' was that, during the mid-1990s, Garry McIntosh produced probably the finest football of his career, on a par with virtually anything on show in the AFL at the time. Magarey Medallist in 1994 and '95, he would undoubtedly have derived much greater satisfaction from leading his beloved Redlegs to a comprehensive premiership triumph in 1997 over the team that had dominated the SANFL for much of the preceding decade, Port Adelaide.

After retiring as a player in 1998, McIntosh fulfilled another ambition when he replaced Neville Roberts as senior coach of the club in 2002. When, two years later, it was announced, following the team's worst run for over thirty years, that his contract would not be renewed, he demonstrated trademark loyalty and maturity by agreeing to remain in post until the end of the season.

Over twenty years after Garry McIntosh made his senior playing debut with the Redlegs, the football landscape has altered substantially and irrevocably, in some cases for the better, in others emphatically not. One way in which the game has irreversibly deteriorated is that it is extremely doubtful if it will ever again permit a player of the principles, attitude and qualities of Garry McIntosh to emerge, let alone to flourish and entertain for the better part of two decades.

Some suggest that he may be returning for a second stint at the Redlegs next season!

first blood..its about time you put a true champion
in your legends group.. he was the heart and soul
of the redlegs..always put the team fist not like todays players

first blood ..you wrote a great piece on macca ..
you seem to know a lot about him .
he still shoul be coaching the redlegs today. not hill

true red+blue wrote:first blood..its about time you put a true champion
in your legends group.. he was the heart and soul
of the redlegs..always put the team fist not like todays players

true red+blue wrote:first blood ..you wrote a great piece on macca ..
you seem to know a lot about him .
he still shoul be coaching the redlegs today. not hill

I thought you would like Macca up True/Blue... as for the article, simply a copy and paste.

he should have played for port imagine him and dave granger lining up in the same side...LOL..!!!

they would have been great together burger king
they were tough..but they were both great footballers