DOB: 16 August 1937
Died: 11 December 2003
Debut: Round 7, 1957 against Richmond at Punt Road
Last Game: Round 3, 1966 against Richmond at MCG
From: Ormond
Number: 12 1957-1960, 5 1962-1966
Honours
Premiership Player - 1964
Victorian state player - 1964
Grand Final team - 1958
Seconds Best and Fairest - 1958
Life Member - 2017
Games: 99
Goals: 24
Career Statistics
| Wins | Draws | Losses | Winning % |
| 67 | 1 | 31 | 67.67 |
Famed as the man whose won Melbourne their last senior premiership off his own boot, Colin Neil "Froggy" Crompton was not a noted goalkicker. He had kicked a career high seven against North Melbourne in Round 11, 1959 but found it hard to win a permanent spot as a rover.
After a 1960 interrupted by an ankle injury in a practice match which flared up again early in the season and tough competition for the rover job he crossed to the SANFL to join Glenelg in 1961. He had already turned back the chance to change states as a footballer and a cricketer early in 1960. After leading Glenelg's goalkicking in his one year stay, Crompton returned to the Demons in 1962 and made his name as a back-pocket, occasionally making appearances as a rover again.
His most important goal came late in the 1964 Grand Final after he'd followed his opponent into the forward line. He was 100m out of position, almost a capital crime in those days, but late in the chaotic game - soon after Hassa Mann had kicked a point to put the Demons within touch - the ball spilt to him and he threw it onto his boot. It sailed home and the Demons were in front. It was his first goal for five years and gave the Demons a lead that they would hold on to for the rest of the match.
He retired two years later, destined to be remembered forever for that kick. Legend has it that Norm Smith bailed him up after the match and told him off being in the wrong place, but even the master coach must have enjoyed the fairytale finish no matter how unorthodox it had been.
He had a slow start to 1965, missing the first three weeks with a torn thigh muscle, but recovered to play 15 games. He only played twice in 1966, missing Round 1 after tearing the same muscle during training and having to resume through the Reserves. After two games he was dropped again, had trouble with a knee injury and failed to play another senior game, leaving him on 99 VFL games.
Crompton captain-coached Werribee in the VFA from 1967 to 1969, then Federal League club East Caulfield. He then followed his mentor Norm Smith to South Melbourne, being appointed their metropolitan recruiting officer in November 1970. He returned to Melbourne in 1975 as Under 19s coach and remained in the role until 1977.
In 1978 he returned to the VFA as coach of Oakleigh, leading his side to a losing Grand Final in 1979 before stepping down to become a specialist coach. He also coached Haileybury College.
Crompton also played 45 first class cricket matches for Victoria. he averaged 32 and was known as a superb fielder.
| Year | Games | Goals | Brownlow |
| 1957 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1958 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| 1959 | 11 | 11 | 0 |
| 1960 | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| 1962 | 19 | 0 | 10 |
| 1963 | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| 1964 | 19 | 1 | 5 |
| 1965 | 15 | 0 | 2 |
| 1966 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Lists
Near Misses
SANFL
VFA
Notes
Most sources show him from Ormond, but some papers show his club as Glenhuntly.
Media
Age - 21/03/1960, 21/04/1960, 01/04/1966, 26/11/1970, 25/10/1979, 12/12/2003
Inside Football - 07/06/1979
Australian - 12/12/2003
Links
Boyles Football Photos
Cricinfo profile
Cricket Archive profile
Demonwiki photo gallery
Glenelg History profile
Snouts Louts profile
VFA Project profile
Wikipedia profile