The Club Player of the Year award is aptly named after Max Heinrich, a champion ruckman and outstanding head trainer from the late 1950s before prematurely passing away in 1988. On-field he was a rugged and intimidating opponent, but off-field he was the quintessential gentleman, described as "personifying" the SGFC.

Heinrich first began his colts football with Gawler Central before joining the Royal Australian Navy after he finished school. While a sailor, he represented the Navy in amateur boxing (undefeated against other servicemen around the world) but continued to love playing football - at first for Eastlake during his training days in Canberra and then overseas during a tour of Korea in the Navy's national footy squad.

When he returned home in 1959, he followed his younger brother Harry (also a champion ruckman) to South where their oldest brother Denis had already played. During his service in the Navy, Max had played football in many different countries, but the GDFL lightning carnival early in the 1959 season was the first time he had ever played in a premiership of any description.

In a later game in that year, Salisbury North captain and veteran Alan Grove showed an old head by getting ten free kicks from Max as a key defender. However in the concluding stages of the match all of Grove's experience could not help his old legs. Heinrich soon learnt from this baptism of fire to become an outstanding A Grade ruckman and defender, winning the Most Determined trophy for the year.

Max was a key player in the 1960 A Grade premiership, many suggest South's greatest ever A Grade side in a season highlighted by our biggest winning margin known ever - on May 21 at Gawler Oval, where we kicked 33-22 to Elizabeth North's zero - and regularly represented the GDFL and APFL through to season 1963. His honours include Reserves premierships in 1961 and in 1962 as Vice Captain, and also the 1962 B Grade Most Determined trophy.

However it was when he retired from footy (after breaking his leg) and taking up training that he really left a mark on the SGFC forever - if not the Gawler sporting community generally. For nearly a quarter of a century, he not only taped ankles, swept the changerooms and collected a schooner of beer to borrow a towel at South, but he also helped many local athletes of all creeds, other clubs and all sports manage and recover from injury. A true man of the people, during gameday Max would always help out opposition players as well as his beloved Lions. His legendary work ethic, dedication and expertise in sports medicine is now deeply revered and etched into the club psyche.

Max was honoured with Life Membership of the club in 1969 and recieved the Club Person of the Year award in 1980. He was awarded with the only ever Presidents' Cup in 1982. In 1986 Max was rewarded with Life Membership of the GDFL and a national merit for his services to Australian football, while today South and Willaston continue to contest the Heinrich-McGahan Cup each local derby. Fortunately, before he died, Max was able to proudly see his son David follow in his footsteps to play A Grade in 1987.