Celebrating two distinctly different eras in Collingwood’s history, one of greatness consolidated in Pannam’s instance he starred in the Magpies’ 1935 and 1936 triumphs - and of greatness reclaimed with Monkhorst, as the club brought to an end a 32-year flag drought in 1990.
A tenacious rover and small forward, Pannam followed the path of his legendary father Charlie senior and gifted brother Charlie junior in joining the black and white, carving a legacy through on-field feats which rivalled the greatest footballers of his day.
Making his debut in 1933, Pannam would ultimately become renowned for his evasive ability and cunning, deftly navigating his way through packs and past opponents with deceptive ease.
And while appearances were somewhat scarce during his first two seasons at the club, it was in the pursuit of premiership glory that Pannam came to the fore, playing an integral role in the side which claimed back-to-back flags in 1935 and 1936.
It was during the latter Grand Final, an 11-point triumph over South Melbourne, where Pannam carved his own, personal place in Magpie legend, with a virtuoso display.
Gathering 32 possessions and kicking five of Collingwood’s 11 goals, Pannam capped a campaign of remarkable consistency with the decisive performance of the 1936 season.
With the Bloods clawing back into the contest during the final term, Pannam’s mercurial qualities saw him conjure a pair of unlikely goals which irrevocably shifted momentum back in Collingwood’s favour, and secured the holy grail.
Claiming the E.W. Copeland Trophy in 1942, Pannam twice represented Victoria before serving as captain in his final season, making his final bow in 1945 after 181 matches and 455 goals as one of the most accomplished players of his era.
Hailing from Woori Yallock, Monkhorst arrived at Victoria Park an archetype of ruckmen from another era, a bullocking, intimidating presence whose goliath frame ensured he was destined for duty as Collingwood’s lead big man from the moment he set foot in the club.
While he made an inauspicious debut in black and white during 1988, the next season saw Monkhorst embrace primary tap duties, his sheer presence around the ground and undoubted physical strength belying his youth.
Revelling in the physical side of the game, Monkhorst emerged as an on-field enforcer, shielding his smaller teammates and striking fear into his opponents to become an integral component of the Magpie unit which created history in 1990.
Though the flag triumph marked Monkhorst’s defining career success, his personal progress was unimpeded by the inevitable premiership hangover, with his finest performances arriving in the years to come, enjoying three consecutive third place finishes in the E.W. Copeland Trophy from 1992 to 1994.
Indeed, while Monkhorst disguised his finesse well, his ability to influence a game only flourished with age, a fifth place finish in the 1994 Brownlow Medal proving testament to his standing in the game.
Further on-field success may have eluded Monkhorst as Collingwood entered a dark era, but it failed to mark his legacy, as the fearsome competitor with the endearing grin exited Victoria Park a giant of the club after 205 games as a Magpie.
