St Kilda's long list of names on its Indigenous honour roll recently increased, and not through one of the Saints' new recruits making their 2025 debut.
The story dates back to 1959 when the number of Aboriginal footballers throughout all teams in the one-time Victorian-based competition were less than a dozen faces across its first six decades.
The first Indigenous Saint – and only the VFL's ninth Aboriginal player – was Jim Wandin, a ngurungaeta Woiwurrung head man of the Wurundjeri-willam clan in Healesville. He played 17 games in the seniors across the 1952 and 1953 seasons.
Most at the club thought the wait for the next Indigenous player ended with Trawlwoolway man Tasmanian 'Gypsy' Graeme Lee – a descendant from legendary warrior Chief Mannalargenna – after the dashing wingman from Wynyard ran out for St Kilda 18 times in 1961 and 1962.
But somewhere in between the Indigenous trailblazers, there was another.
His name was hidden in plain sight amid the pages of old club records.
The late Terry Burgess played only five consecutive senior games to conclude the 1959 season before finishing at St Kilda in the reserves first semi-final on the MCG, but that was not why he was the forgotten man.
Most of his teammates, including champion centre half-back Neil Roberts and future trucking magnate Lindsay Fox knew of Burgess' Aboriginality at the time, but the Saints' own history books somehow missed the recognition until this year.
"All I can go on is that the St Kilda footy club's historian (Russell Holmesby) rang me to say they just came across all that in their records in about 1990 or something around that era," son Terry Burgess Jr told National Indigenous Times.
"So, I don't know for whatever reason why it's taken to this point to confirm it."
The AFL had recognised Burgess in its own 2019 Season Guide as the 12th Indigenous player in the VFL/AFL before his own club ever did.
Burgess passed away in 2005, aged 71, never interacting with the Saints again before cultural recordkeeping became more prominent in the 21st century.
But besides St Kilda's apparent oversight, there is a bigger mystery about Burgess' own mob.
The City South recruit came from Launceston, so the family is confident they are of Indigenous Tasmanian origins.
But the Burgesses have been unable to find out their roots among the 48 known clans on the island.
"We just don't know – the family's trying to do some historical work," Burgess Jr said.
"It's through the great grandmother's line though.
"We have relatives all up the North-West coastline of Tasmania and we're trying to get hold of that still, especially since this (recognition) has all come to light."
Burgess Jr's grandfather died early in life and his wife passed away before both his parents moved to Victoria, taking much of the knowledge of his paternal side's First Nation heritage to their graves.
"I have sort of grown up with no parents, no grandparents on that side," he said, "so information and stories, and all that sort of stuff, is limited".
What is known about Burgess is his sporting prowess was not entirely a flash in the pan.
The speedy rover was quick enough over two laps to claim back-to-back Stawell Easter carnival 880-yard (800-metre) finals in 1958 and 1959.
And now Burgess will also be remembered as one of St Kilda's first Indigenous footballing pioneers.
Five members of the family were welcomed to Moorabbin during NAIDOC Week to hang up a framed picture of Burgess in the club's Yawa room, formally celebrated alongside 36 other Indigenous men and women to represent the club.
Burgess' photo now hangs along the likes of Winmar, Muir, McAdam, Narkle, the Clarke brothers and famous Indigenous football names such as Krakouer, Kickett and Long, in addition to current Saints, Wanganeen-Milera, Hill, Windhager and Henry.
During a club function the same day, Saints Indigenous player liaison and development officer, Katrina Amon, explained the significance of Burgess' inclusion.
"Terry's story forms an important part in our history, and we looked forward to honouring his contribution to our Yawa (the Boonwurrung word for a journey) moving forward," she said.
