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1954

Coach: Norm Smith
Captain: Geoff Collins
Finishing Position: 4th (runners up)
Best and Fairest: Denis Cordner
Leading Goalkicker: Noel Clarke (51)
Best First Year Player: Robert B Johnson
Members: 2444

Matches Ladder Playing List Tribunal Seconds Thirds Fourths
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After narrowly avoiding the wooden spoon with a young team in 1953, the committee decided to be patient and give Norm Smith more time to reap the rewards of several years of introducing new players. The Demons were expected to improve, but surprised everyone with their rapid rise to a Grand Final. Geoff Collins was named captain after the resignation of Denis Cordner, chosen over vice-captain Noel McMahen, who was not considered as he was expected to apply for a coaching role at the end of the year.

Two losses in their first three games had Melbourne on the back foot, and they barely scraped into the finals with a percentage below a hundred via a last round win. A shock victory against North Melbourne in the Semi Final was followed by an even bigger Preliminary Final boilover when minor premiers Geelong were eliminated. Despite the promise of a financial bonus for the best player in the finals, raised by selling a bull donated by a supporter, the fairytale run came to an end in the Grand Final as Footscray won their first premiership.

Seniors, Seconds, Thirds and Fourths all made the finals. Senior players who appeared in all three finals games got a £16 pound bonus, while all players on the senior list shared donations made by supporters to celebrate making finals.

At the end of the season Melbourne supported a motion to remove the district system and allow players to choose the clubs they wanted to play for no matter where they lived. This was a reaction to population decreases in their areas of the City of Melbourne and Prahran. Despite support from Collingwood and Fitzroy, the motion didn't have the required 75% majority to pass.

Melbourne's VFL delegates were Bert Chadwick and Richard Taylor.

Practice match

OppositionResultScore
Ormond ?

Premiership season

RoundOppositionResultScore
1 CollingwoodLOSS64-102
2 CarltonWIN101-82
3 HawthornLOSS64-75
4 FitzroyWIN96-54
5 RichmondWIN97-67
6 St. KildaLOSS78-99
7 South MelbourneWIN111-89
8 GeelongWIN80-71
9 EssendonLOSS79-101
10 FootscrayLOSS57-73
11 North MelbourneWIN105
12 CollingwoodLOSS46-54
13 CarltonWIN76-41
14 HawthornWIN110-33
15 FitzroyLOSS48-59
16 RichmondWIN94-78
17 St. KildaWIN97-40
18 South MelbourneWIN101-49
SF North MelbourneWIN110-80
PF GeelongWIN67-50
GF FootscrayLOSS51-102

Exhibition match

OppositionResult__Score
Alberton League WIN236-22
North-Eastern XVIII WIN139-52

Ladder

WDL%P
Geelong1305133.152
Footscray1116130.046
North Melbourne111699.646
Melbourne110799.644
Richmond1008114.740
Essendon1008107.840
Collingwood1008100.840
Carlton801099.432
Hawthorn801088.032
South Melbourne601281.624
Fitzroy411373.218
St. Kilda411372.718

Playing List

NumberNameGamesGoals
1 Denis Cordner 216
2 Robert McKenzie 1931
3 Peter Marquis 172
4 Ken Christie 161
5 Ian McLean 204
6 Ken Albiston 915
7 Geoff Case 144
8 Geoff Collins 211
9 Brian Dixon 82
10 Lance Arnold 184
11 Laurie Mithen 136
12 Stuart Spencer 2137
16 Clyde Laidlaw 82
17 Geoff McGivern 1611
18 Bob Johnson 1123
19 Keith Carroll 60
22 John Ferguson 43
23 Leigh Gloury 30
24 Ian Ridley 21
25 Don Williams 210
26 Noel Clarke 2051
28 Terry Gleeson 41
29 Tony Bull 62
30 John Beckwith 170
31 Ron Barassi 1412
32 Dale Anderson 11
33 Colin Wilson 80
34 Ralph Lane 214
35 Noel McMahen 190
36 Keith Robinson 30
38 Ken Melville 200
39 Tom Magee 11
41 Frank Adams 1820

Best and Fairest

Player
1st Denis Cordner
2nd Noel McMahen

Other Awards
Most improved - Geoff Case
Outstanding service - Stuart Spencer
Consistent service - Peter Marquis and Ken Melville

Tribunal

RoundPlayerChargeSanction
SF Bob McKenzie Striking 4 matches
SF Peter Marquis Striking Guilty (reprimand)

Seconds

1954 Seconds season
Best and Fairest - Ken Albiston
Finals

RoundOpponentResult
SF Carlton WIN
GF Richmond LOSS

Thirds

1954 Thirds season
Captain - Terry Mountain
Leading Goalkicker: Peter Brenchley - 28

WDL%P
Footscray 1402122.756
Carlton1303145.052
Geelong1105133.844
Melbourne1006157.040
Fitzroy907134.936
Essendon907116.736
Richmond709114.028
South Melbourne70996.328
Collingwood70986.628
North Melbourne601094.624
St Kilda111446.16
Hawthorn111444.26

Finals

RoundOppositionResultScore
SF Geelong WIN93-42
PF Footscray LOSS41-39

Fourths

1954 Fourths season

Media
Age - 13/04/1954
Football Record R1 1954
Herald - 17/08/1954
Argus - 16/09/1954
Age - 27/09/1954
Age - 30/09/1954
Herald - 20/10/1954
Argus - 21/10/1954

Links
AFL Tables page
Wikipedia page

Created by Supermercado. Last Modification: Saturday 14 October 2023 14:51:03 AEDT by Supermercado. (Version 40)

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