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1952

Coach: Norm Smith
Captain: Denis Cordner
Finishing Position: 6th
Best and Fairest: Geoff McGivern
Leading Goalkicker: Noel Clarke (49)
Best First Year Player: Jim Wilson

Matches Ladder Playing List Tribunal Seconds Thirds
Image

After going from 1950 finalists to three games last in a year later, Norm Smith replaced Allan La Fontaine as coach and saw an immediate improvement. For the first time in several years the club was able to play all its practice games on the MCG due to the district cricket final being played at the Lake Oval, and the postponement of a Royal Tour which would have occupied the ground, and they spent time on the verge of the top four before missing out.

During the year, Norm Smith was asked by the committee to stop holding intra-club matches on Thursday night after Stuart Spencer was knocked out by an errant elbow during one game.

A Lightning Premiership was held in May, with Melbourne defeating South Melbourne in the final.

The Round 8 game against Fitzroy was played in Hobart as part of a promotional round with games staged around the country. The attendance broke the all-time record for a football game in Tasmania.

During the wettest season in 20 years, white balls were introduced in July to help players see the ball in the mud.

At the end of the season 1948 premiership veterans George Bickford, Geoff Collins, Eddie Jackson and Mike Woods all retired. The end-of-season trip was to Mt. Buffalo.

Melbourne's VFL delegates were Bill Flintoft and Wally Scott.

Premiership season

RoundOppositionResultScore
1 Geelong LOSS97-103
2 St. KildaWIN91-89
3 HawthornLOSS60-74
4 FootscrayWIN76-52
5 South MelbourneLOSS57-71
6 North MelbourneWIN63-49
7 Collingwood WIN82-50
8 FitzroyLOSS70-90
9 EssendonWIN75-74
10 RichmondWIN83-46
11 FitzroyLOSS73-83
12 CarltonDRAW50-50
13 GeelongLOSS54-110
14 St. KildaWIN78-58
15 HawthornWIN85-57
16 FootscrayWIN107-60
17 South MelbourneLOSS66-74
18 North MelbourneLOSS82-97
19 Collingwood LOSS71-92

Lightning Premiership

RoundOppositionResultScore
1 Essendon WIN14-8
QF Geelong WIN25-8
SF North Melbourne WIN17-13
F South Melbourne WIN8-1

Ladder

WDL%P
Geelong1612134.766
Collingwood1405144.456
Fitzroy1306105.452
Carlton1126112.448
South Melbourne1117105.546
Melbourne919103.038
North Melbourne901096.836
Essendon8110113.634
Richmond801192.632
Footscray501477.120
Hawthorn501469.620
St. Kilda201768.18

Playing list

NumberPlayerGamesGoals
1 Denis Cordner 186
2 Bob McKenzie 1835
3 Geoff Collins 140
4 Ken Christie 190
5 Ian McLean 141
6 Ken Albiston 1923
7 Eddie Jackson 164
8 Ian Toyne 10
8 Maurie Lehmann 61
9 Max Orr 54
10 Lance Arnold 170
11 Jim Wilson 1514
12 Stuart Spencer 184
13 Alan Krause 66
14 Bob Johnston 100
15 Terry Pierce 20
16 George Bickford 171
17 Geoff McGivern 1914
18 Harry Lack 30
19 Colin Love 40
19 Keith Carroll 10
20 Tom McLean 111
22 John Ferguson 63
23 George O'Keeffe 40
25 Ron McMahon 80
26 Noel Clarke 1949
27 Neil Whitaker 91
28 Bill Smeaton 613
29 Ken McKaige 31
30 John Beckwith 178
33 Jack Thomson 168
34 Ralph Lane 30
35 Noel McMahen 180
37 Mike Woods 180

Tribunal

RoundPlayerChargeSanction
Round 10 Geoff Collins Disputing Umpire's Decision Guilty
Round 10 Geoff Collins Disputing Umpire's Decision Guilty

Best and Fairest

Player
1st Geoff McGivern
2nd Denis Cordner

Awards
Best Clubman - Stuart Spencer
Most improved - Ian McLean
Outstanding service - Ken Albiston, Bob McKenzie, Eddie Jackson, Noel Clarke

Seconds

1952 Seconds season
Leading Goalkicker - Jack Mueller

WDL%P
Collingwood1503135.660
Carlton1404141.956
Richmond1404137.256
Essendon1206135.048
Melbourne1008106.640
Geelong909112.436
South Melbourne801094.932
Footscray601290.124
North Melbourne601267.524
Fitzroy601273.124
Hawthorn501380.720
St Kilda301564.712

Thirds

1952 Thirds season
Captain - Noel Shaw
Best and Fairest - Don Williams

WDL%P
Melbourne1312158.554
Essendon1204171.648
Footscray1204110.148
Carlton1005129.342
Fitzroy90797.636
Geelong717127.332
Collingwood70889.230
North Melbourne60976.626
South Melbourne6010110.924
Richmond501090.722
Hawthorn301167.216
St Kilda101436.26

Carlton, Richmond, Collingwood, North Melbourne, Hawthorn (x2), St Kilda and Geelong were all awarded two points for abandoned matches.

Finals

RoundOppositionResultScore
SF Essendon WIN78-33
GF Essendon LOSS55-82

Media
Herald - 18/03/1952 - 18/03/1952, 22/03/1952, 10/09/1952

Links
AFL Tables page
Wikipedia page

Created by Supermercado. Last Modification: Friday 13 October 2023 19:28:55 AEDT by Supermercado. (Version 37)

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