Piggott played just eight games for the Swans over the 1946-47 seasons, but made a huge impression before prematurely ending his football career to concentrate on farming on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula.
Piggott kicked 21 goals in his eight games for South, including seven in an historic match at the Lake Oval in round two, 1947.
The Swans could not play or train at the Lake Oval for most of World War II because of its occupation by the military, and played at Carlton’s Princes Park from 1942-43 and St Kilda’s Junction Oval from 1944-46.
The Swans played several practice matches at the Lake Oval in the lead-up to the 1947 season and the VFL gave it permission to play premiership matches there again after making repairs to the ground and erecting a new boundary fence.
South went down to Essendon by 51 points at Windy Hill in the opening round and then played Carlton at the Lake Oval in the next round.
More than 25,000 fans squeezed into the Lake Oval for the red and white’s first game at its picturesque home ground in six years, but the Swans were forced into what turned out to be a fortunate last-minute change.
Albury recruit Alan Strang failed a fitness test for a strained back and was replaced by Piggott, whose seven goals played a pivotal role in the Swans’ 14-point defeat of the Blues.
Piggott kicked two goals from free kicks in the first quarter, three in the second term and one each in the third and final quarters.
The rangy Piggott, who wore number 16, was born and bred in South Melbourne, but had a delayed start to his VFL career because of army service.
He played with South Sydney during the war and achieved his boyhood ambition in joining South Melbourne as soon as he was demobbed.
Piggott later shifted to Western Australia, where he not only farmed but wrote on rural affairs for newspapers and magazines. In fact, he was on assignment when tragically killed.
A Swan through and through, he maintained a very close interest in the club he had served with such great distinction, albeit only briefly because of wartime commitments.
