What happened next to the players who wore the red and blue for the first time ever in the Round 1, 1897 match against South Melbourne at the Lake Oval?

Fred Blackham was the shortest serving of the original twenty, playing the next week before dropping out of football for good. The longest serving was Jack Leith who retired in 1912 and still remains the second oldest player to have ever played VFL/AFL football.

NameLast seasonGamesComments
Fred Blackham 18972
Herbert Fry 18986 Suffered a career ending injury in Round 1, 1898
Charlie Goding 1897 4Moved to South Melbourne in 1899
Edwin Jenkyn 189717
George Johnstone 18988
Jack Leith 1912 133
Austin Lewis 190387
Bill McCulloch 190013Cleared to Collingwood in 1901
Fred McGinis 190184
Norm McLeod 189818
Henry Mitchell 189936
George Moodie 1905134
George Moysey 1899 35
Bert Robinson 189713
Fred Sheahan 189716
Wally Steele 189826
Ned Sutton 189832
Bert Watson 189711 Later became Australian Chess champion
Alf Wood 1899 46
Charlie Young 1904129