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1958

Coach: Norm Smith
Captain: John Beckwith
Finishing Position: 1st (Lost Grand Final)
Best and Fairest: Laurie Mithen
Leading Goalkicker: Ron Barassi / Athol Webb (44)
Best First Year Player: Alan Rowarth

Matches Ladder Playing list Tribunal Seconds Thirds

After three premierships in a row, Melbourne was playing to equal the Collingwood record of four consecutive flags. After many expected them to fall away in 1957, most tipsters expected the Demons to win again. The only senior player lost was Jim Sandral, who'd gone to Corowa to coach, leaving them with more returning players than any other side in the league.

The season took a break for three weeks from late June until mid-July for a poorly attended interstate carnival to be played in Victoria. A "Highlights of '58" exhibition at the Olympic Swimming Stadium during the season saw the Demons win the final of a league goalkicking contest against Richmond. Bob Johnson and Athol Webb booted three each in the final. Johnson also appeared in Melbourne's tug-of-war team alongside Peter Marquis.

Despite only losing their second game in Round 11, the defeat was Melbourne's worst in five years, prompting the appointment of (Ron Baggott)) as an assistant to Norm Smith. Baggott was employed to do specialist work with players while Smith directed training generally.

After finishing three games clear on the ladder, and convincingly beating Collingwood in the Semi Final, Melbourne entered the Grand Final as red-hot favourites but were beaten in a massive upset.

At the end of the season six players registered for professional foot races. Frank Adams, Peter Brenchley, Athol Webb, Brian Dixon, Geoff Case and Brian Dunsford all ran in various athletics competitions. The club had its end of season trip to Surfers Paradise, and while they were there they played an exhibition match under lights against Carlton. The Night Series returned to a competition for sides that missed finals only.

Melbourne's VFL delegates were Bert Chadwick and Richard Taylor, though Ivor Warne-Smith replaced Chadwick between 14 March and 4 June as the delegate took a leave of absence.

Premiership season

RoundOppositionResultScore
1 CarltonWIN79-65
2 GeelongWIN110-42
3 North MelbourneWIN90-51
4 HawthornWIN76-68
5 EssendonWIN102-87
6 St. KildaLOSS78-79
7 FootscrayWIN85-62
8 RichmondWIN90-83
9 South MelbourneWIN108-76
10 CollingwoodWIN84-73
11 FitzroyLOSS47-88
12 CarltonWIN84-68
13 GeelongWIN118-84
14 North MelbourneWIN72-63
15 HawthornWIN95-87
16 EssendonLOSS75-78
17 St. KildaWIN137-87
18 FootscrayWIN78-59
SF CollingwoodWIN78-33
GF CollingwoodLOSS64-82

Ladder

WDL%P
Melbourne1503123.760
Collingwood1206123.748
Fitzroy1206120.948
North Melbourne110792.744
Essendon1008111.340
Hawthorn909109.336
Carlton801091.932
St. Kilda701192.228
South Melbourne701188.728
Richmond701188.528
Footscray601297.324
Geelong401473.816

Exhibition match

OppositionResultScore
Carlton WIN119-83

Playing list

NumberNameGamesGoals
1 Dick Fenton-Smith 190
2 Alan Rowarth 103
3 Peter Marquis 130
4 John Lord 111
5 Ian McLean 208
6 Frank Adams 1313
7 Geoff Case 1912
9 Brian Dixon 202
10 Bob Turner 72
11 Laurie Mithen 201
12 Neil Crompton 88
14 Trevor Johnson 183
15 Athol Webb 2044
16 Bob Johnson 2041
17 Graeme Wilkinson 10
18 Kevin Mithen 30
19 Keith Carroll 90
20 Graeme Pinfold 30
21 Peter Cook 10
22 Ben Crameri 10
22 John Kerr 12
23 Geoff Tunbridge 1819
24 Ian Ridley 2039
25 Don Williams 200
26 Ian Thorogood 130
27 Denis Jones 160
28 Terry Gleeson 50
30 John Beckwith 180
31 Ron Barassi 1844
33 Colin Wilson 180
35 Clyde Laidlaw 144
38 Peter Brenchley 31

Best and Fairest

Player
1st Laurie Mithen
2nd Don Williams
3rd Ian McLean

Awards
Outstanding Service - Brian Dixon
Tribunal

RoundPlayerChargeSanction
GF Ron Barassi Striking Guilty

Seconds

1958 Seconds season

Best and Fairest - Neil Crompton
Second Best and Fairest - Kevin Mithen
Best First Year Player - Lance Rolfe
Best Clubman - David McKenzie
Outstanding Service - Terry Gleeson, Trevor Clay, Alan Rowarth, Graeme Wilkinson

WDL%P
Hawthorn 1503138.260
Essendon 1305114.652
Collingwood 1107126.744
Fitzroy 1107108.244
St Kilda1107103.944
Footscray801098.832
Geelong801095.732
Melbourne701198.828
Carlton701185.628
North Melbourne701184.228
South Melbourne601293.024
Richmond401472.216


Richmond were stripped of a win which was given to Essendon.

Thirds

1958 Thirds season

Captain - Neil Campbell
Vice-Captain - Kevin Avery
Best and Fairest - Neil Campbell
Second Best and Fairest - Ron McLeod
Most Consistent - Gary Buswell
Outstanding service - Gary Butler, John Kerley, Doug McIver, Murray Grainger, Kevin Avery

WDL%P
Richmond 1303137.652
Essendon 1303133.852
St Kilda 1204147.348
Carlton 1105116.244
South Melbourne1006118.440
Footscray 100698.840
Collingwood808111.932
Geelong601084.724
North Melbourne501192.120
Melbourne501183.120
Fitzroy201463.28
Hawthorn101566.64

Fourths

Best and Fairest - Malcolm Innes
Second Best and Fairest - Alec Ingwersen
Outstanding service - Terry Rankin, Brian Jeffrey, Jim Edwards, Ian Bowater

Media
Age - 07/04/1958, 25/06/1958, 15/07/1958, 22/08/1958, 27/09/1958, 29/09/1958, 17/12/1958
Football Record R11 1958

Links
AFL Tables page
Wikipedia page

Created by Supermercado. Last Modification: Saturday 14 October 2023 19:14:20 AEDT by Supermercado. (Version 35)

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