Greg Dean was a proud Saint whose involvement with the red, white and black extended well beyond his playing days.

Greg, who passed away on April 20 at the age of 95, had the toughest footy initiation imaginable as he made his debut against Collingwood at Victoria Park in 1949. A half-back flanker recruited from VAFA side University Blues, he played four games in his opening season and added another three in 1950.

But he would make a valuable contribution in later years as a committee member of our Past Players and Officials Association. Greg was a long-time resident of Phillip Island and the annual golf trips to Phillip Island he organised for the past players became a feature of the Saints calendar.

Current committee member of our STK PPOA, Simon Meehan, remembers the popular bus trips to Phillip Island and Greg was involved in organising the Allan Jeans Cup, in which players from the three clubs that “Yabby” Jeans coached – St Kilda, Hawthorn and Richmond – would take part. A bowls competition was also included which acknowledged Yabby’s other sporting love.

Greg Dean was always an affable host of the Allan Jeans Cup days, and will be remembered affectionately by not only his generation of Saints players.

Vale, Saint Greg.